Corporate Raiders
by Angel of Insanity
Summary: AU. Dick Grayson and Kory Anders thought they had their lives together, until one chance night in Metropolis. As sparks fly, they face obstacles on all sides while trying to make their budding relationship work. DGKA, GLRR, VSSC. Undergoing Rewrites.
1. Good Publicity

**Corporate Raiders**

**_Chapter 1: Good Publicity_**

---

_Nothing focuses the mind better than the constant sight of a competitor who wants to wipe you off the map. _

– _Wayne Calloway_

---

Flicking his gaze from the vid link in his hand to the mirror on his left, Dick smoothed his hands through his black hair and frowned. Setting the device up so that he could keep his eyes on the screen but fix his tie, his blue eyes darted around the small room before settling back on the image of his assistant. "She isn't that pretty, you know." When the woman on the other end rolled her eyes, he simply took a gulp of hot coffee and picked an invisible piece of lint off his suit sleeve.

"That's either because the picture is coming in fuzzy over the connection or your eyesight rapidly deteriorated overnight. Kind of looks like Bar…"

He held up one hand and pinched the bridge of his nose with the other. "You think that everyone with red hair looks like her. It's getting really old, Roth." She managed to look admonished but it was obvious her lips were holding back a smirk.

"You just keep that spark, _Grayson_, and you'll get through this interview just fine. Lengal looks like a dumb blonde but she's got this annoying habit of digging if she thinks you're fatigued. Just remember that Anders got the jump on us with _Metro_ and you've got to do damage control." Dick could tell she was nervous; the front of her blouse was wrinkled, indicating she'd been pacing. This week-long media blitz had been hard on everyone, Rachel especially. She was used to following along with Dick on these sorts of things; going with Bruce had driven her just as crazy as it had him.

Straightening his suit one last time, even though the look in her violet eyes assured him he was being silly, Dick wished he had time for one cigarette before stepping out into the lion's den. Reaching for his link, he flashed his best boyish grin. "Take care of Bruce in Hong Kong, all right? Otherwise, this whole flying solo thing will be for nothing."

Wrinkling her nose and muttering something under her breath, Rae managed a small smile. "Be good, take care and remember, _that's_ what we're up against." Jabbing her finger at the grainy photo one last time, the young woman clicked off. Dick was pretty sure that he didn't want to leave the green room. Ever.

---

"W_aaaaa_ke up, Starbaby! Just because I'm not there is no excuse to lie around all morning." The holo link clicked on with a pleasant beep seconds after the audio engaged. This gave Kory just enough time to blink the sleep out of her eyes and sit up when the screen popped up about a foot from her face. "Wakey wakey, organic eggs and tofu bakey."

Groaning loudly at the sound of her PA's voice, the CEO of Sol Corp threw a pillow at the screen and pushed a heavy curtain of fiery hair out of her sleepy eyes. The young man on the other end winced, even though the pillow sailed through and hit against the door. Once the holo screen stopped wavering, her PA clapped his hands together and grinned wickedly.

"Go away, Gar, I don't…do not want to go jogging in Metropolis on the _one_ morning I have to sleep in this week. I do not have to meet with Lane until two o'clock…please let me have one day off." Holding up her hand, all the while doing her best pout, Kory punched in the number for room service and quickly ordered a cup of coffee, black, and a custard Danish. When she hung up the phone, she shot a dirty look at the holo screen and rose from the mass of sheets in the center of the bed. "Oh, do not even start; I have not had any junk food all week. I was afraid the staff of the Halldorf would cry if I ordered a bowl of organic whole grain crunch. Room service did in Melbourne."

"Fine, I'll let it slide, it's not like you and Lois aren't going to drink a couple of pots before you get to really talking." When his boss disabled the rotation feature and turned her back on him, Garfield Logan took the opportunity to spoon up some plain yogurt onto an orange slice and look over the morning's stock reports. Even though it was only seven in the morning on the West Coast, the stock market had already been open for a half hour. "Woo! We're up two points already, Firefly."

She whipped around briefly at the sound of his voice and rolled her eyes, looking more alert albeit slightly annoyed. "Looks like that interview in Seattle did its job; I thought you were going on about something important." While Kory slipped into a plush robe, Gar ran his fingers through his short, spiky dark green hair. Although it didn't quite match Kory's eyes, it set off his dark tan nicely. Which had been the intention anyway. Turning around while tugging a brush through her hair, the Tamaranean-American giggled and started looking for her slippers.

"Grayson's in Metropolis today, too. _This _is what he looks like." Looking up from under her bed, Kory squinted and then went back looking for her slippers.

"Is that Harvey Dent? And you dyed your hair again, looks nice." Gar did a double take at the photo he had mashed against the sending screen and began shouting curses over his shoulder. "Hey, stop yelling at Morgan. It is not her fault you do not review these things. Now, you have got a meeting with our investors in Japan and I have coffee coming. Be good, BB."

"Take care, Firecracker."

---

"Good morning Metropolis, from WGBS-TV, this is Lisa Lengal with _Metro Wake Up_." The woman was blonde, brown eyed, and impossibly perky. She was also beaming her megawatt smile directly at Dick, who felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an on coming semi. "Today we're here with our guest, Richard Grayson, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. You've been quite busy over the last eighteen months, since you were voted in. Exactly what brings you to Metropolis?" She fluttered her long, long eyelashes and he thought of killing Rachel for this most recent injustice. _Well, that's certainly strike one today._

There were few things Dick Grayson truly hated, these included, golf, lumpy mattresses, and French toast. In the course of minutes, perky Miss Lengal had worked her way to the top of the list. "A bit of business," he lowered his voice and turned his eyes to the camera, "and a bit of pleasure." When it garnered the proper response, the women in the audience sighing loudly, he found himself relaxing just a bit.

Even the blonde talk show host had the decency to sit up a little straighter and fluff her hair. "Of course, _of course_, the S.T.A.R. labs takeover is on everyone's mind in Metropolis. With the big three, Wayne Enterprises, LexCorp, and Sol Corp, all with their fingers in the pot, this has been rather exciting."

"Oh," a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, "I certainly wouldn't call Sol Corp one of the big three. Certainly they're up there, but, it's hard to compare such a _fledgling_ company with the very established Wayne Enterprises and LexCorp." The audience tittered and he dismissed them good-naturedly. "But, never mind that, yes, I'm here to personally make sure things go along smoothly. It's been an exciting six months, but, we're finally ready to get this wrapped up." The woman nodded along, her eyes blank, and it was blatantly obvious he wasn't there to talk about his business dealings. _Strike two_, he thought, _strike two, Rachel_.

Resisting the urge to throw his empty coffee cup at her perfectly coiffed head, Dick instead took a deep breath and shifted in his chair. Bruce Wayne could charm the pants off any television talk show host, his adopted son was more apt to get frustrated and walk off stage. Which he would have if, according to Rae, Kory Anders hadn't given a stellar performance the morning before. As if reading his mind, Lengal's lips curved into a predatory smile and seemed to move into pouncing position.

"So, Miss Kory Anders was on our show yesterday and had some interesting things to say about her company. With Sol Biotech pushing a new drug onto the FDA this week and their Aerospace division securing a 2.5 billion dollar contract with NASA, does Wayne Enterprises feel pressed to step up?" Oh, smooth; disguising blatant baiting with business talk. Dick was surprised she just didn't come out and say: _do you feel like pissing yourselves?_

"Actually, I flew in from Phoenix last night and didn't catch that episode of _Metro Wake Up_. And while Miss Anders surely has done some moving and shaking since she was instated ten months ago, we're not too terribly worried." Actually, she was giving him a giant headache. Wayne had been on the top of both the Biotech and Aerospace fields since 1983 when they surpassed LexCorp. Of course, he wasn't about to let Lisa Lengal know that. "Besides, we've got plenty of projects in development. Just because we're not so _vocal_ about them, doesn't mean they don't exist."

It seemed like the only people paying attention to the dialogue was himself and the blonde host. The clock just kept ticking on his ten-minute spot and when the cameras clicked over for commercial, Dick glanced over at the audience and cracked a couple of jokes. Although it seemed a little forced, they did loosen up. He wondered how Kory Anders had kept them captivated for nearly thirty minutes.

Lengal was touching up her smudged lipstick when the production crew wildly waved in her direction. Straightening immediately and taking note of the time, she turned her blinding smile on again and gripped onto his forearm. "Well, thank you Mr. Grayson for coming to speak with us today. Now, a little bird told me that you've got a bit of a surprise for us today." She managed a _dignified_ giggle and motioned for him to stand up. "Now, the audience may know of your early days when you were a member of the Flying Graysons. What they may not know is that you're the only person who can perform a quadruple somersault." Dick paled and forced him not to pound his head on the nearest hard object. _Strike three_.

He shook his head wearily and smoothed down the front of his tailored three-piece suit. But, the audience was clapping widely and Lengal just couldn't wipe that bubbly smile off of her face. Sucking in a breath, he took off down a clear strip of stage and completed the series of flips before he exhaled.

Public relations sucked.

---

It wasn't hard for Kory Anders to feel out of place. It wasn't just her golden-orange Mediterranean tan, bright green eyes, or Tamaranean red hair. Even a delicated crème-colored skirt suit couldn't hide the fact that she was 6'4" and towered over just about everyone, including the Daily Planet's star reporter, Lois Lane. With Lane's pit bull-like tenacity, it was hard to believe she was so petite in real life.

Her all-purpose PA had arranged the little meeting, just her and all-star reporter Lois Lane in some quaint café in downtown Metropolis. At least it was better than going on _Metro Wake Up_, thank God that was over. If she had to answer another stupid question, and look happy about, she might hurl her vid link out the nearest window. Spotting her from across the café, Lois set down her cup of coffee and smirked. "How do you feel about Mr. Grayson's comment this morning on _Wake Up_? He said your company, Sol Corp, shouldn't be considered one of the big three."

"Frankly, _Lane_, I was enjoying a heavenly custard Danish when Miss Lengal was questioning Mr. Grayson this morning. This is the first time I have heard of that. What I will say is this: I took over running Sol Corp ten months ago. Since then, we've kept Wayne Enterprises on their toes. To quote Gar, '_Woo, we went up two points!_'" she leaned forward and her eyes glinted wickedly, "So, how about we cut the crap?"

Lois flashed a toothy grin, never one to back down, and pulled out a tape recorder, legal pad, and pen. "In the last week, you've been to New York City, Central City, Phoenix, Seattle, and Melbourne, all important cities for S.T.A.R. labs. What's with this wild publicity campaign?"

"Besides making me rather tired? Actually, you can thank Lex Luthor for all of this running around; he was the one who started all the politicking. Although it will all come down to the shareholders at the end of this week, public opinion is still important when dealing with such a high profile take over. We were not about to let LexCorp get the upper hand." It had all become such a huge headache for everyone at Sol Corp, especially Kory, who as CEO, was the company's most public face. She was used to dealing behind the scenes, the public arena was quite nerve wracking.

Uncrossing her ankles and adjusting a slipped stocking discreetly, the red head shrugged a shoulder and offered a small smile. "Sol Corp has built itself up through corporate takeovers, starting in 1945 when my grandfather bought out Hartley Corp and JumP Inc. S.T.A.R. labs will be in experienced hands if their shareholders vote to take our offer. We will not go in and muck up what they have already got right."

The lilac-clad reporter drank the last dredges of her coffee and then reached over and lit a cigarette. When Kory waved the smoke out of her face and forced a cough, Lane rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I forgot, you're allergic to cigarette smoke. At least that's the line your super health conscious PA fed me. Seriously, Anders?"

"I am allergic to getting lung cancer." The women chuckled and Lois took a long drag before crushing out her cigarette. As Kory leaned over to grab for her compact, the reporter turned off her tape recorder and scooted closer to the table. The CEO eyed her warily.

"Off the record?" Lois took a breath and waited until Kory nodded. "Can I ask about ex-boyfriend Xane, leader of everyone's favorite punked-up rock band Red X?"

"I guess he is fine, we have not talked in six months. Last I heard, he was sexing up some girl named Kitten." Although Kory hated this part, she felt like she owed it to Lois. The Metropolis reporter had been the only one to take her seriously when she took over her father's role in the company. She'd been tough, but fair, and stayed out of Kory's personal life. At least when the recorder was on.

"So sad, too, you guys looked good together. You had yourself some nice arm candy there, Anders. What about," the woman's expression visibly soften and she reached across the table to lightly touch the red head's jacket sleeve, "your father? How's he doing?"

Myr Anders had suffered a massive stroke almost eleven months ago while on vacation with his wife, Lucy. Kory, who had been running Sol Technologies at the time, had been voted in as CEO while on a mid-Atlantic flight. Pinching her nose and waving her hand in front of her face, she forced a smile. "Fine, my father is fine. Still in rehabilitation, still working hard. Lane, he is never going to be the same…it is sad, sometimes."

Always intuitive, Lois saw that the conversation was taking a darker turn. Looking down at her watch, she quirked an eyebrow and reached down for her purse. "Just before I have to jet, dear, I've got a couple of rapid fire questions. Was that you in that limo with Roy Harper? Have you and your PA done it yet? And, really, when are you sending your sister to rehab?"

By the time Lois was done, Kory was red faced and laughing and Lois was doggedly trying to get to the _truth_. With a quick hug and none of that _silly air kissing_, the women parted and Kory started on her way. Lois had Pulitzer-prize winning writing to do on the war and Kory had a meeting at four.

There were upsides to visiting Metropolis.

---

"A quadruple somersault, Rae, a fucking _quadruple_ somersault, I haven't done that in years. What in God's name were you thinking? I would rather talk about _Barbara_ than drag out my early childhood in the circus." Dick was pacing around a spacious condo, careful not to trip over any furniture. Thankfully he wasn't in a hotel, yelling and pulling out one's hair wasn't conducive to that kind of atmosphere.

The woman on the other end of the line sighed, loudly, and Dick could imagine that she was looking for split ends. There was a reason she turned off the video feed when he got like this. "Look, Lex Luthor is running around charming the socks off of everyone. Kory Anders has Lois _I am God's gift to reporting _Lane, in her corner. For the love of God, Dick, we have to do something. _Especially_ after her performance on _Metro_ yesterday. I saw you, you could barely hold ten minutes. She held them captive for _thirty_."

"Don't start with me, Rae. This is not the week for pushing me to be Bruce Wayne." There were plenty of times with Rachel Roth made Dick Grayson want to bash his head against a wall. As much as he loved his adopted father there was a reason Bruce was still the president of Wayne Enterprises. The only reason why Bruce wasn't in Metropolis was because there'd been some emergency dealing in Hong Kong and the Chinese liked him better. "Don't start or I swear to God I'll start in with Joe Wilson."

"Oh fuck, Dick, why don't we drag out all the dirty laundry? You were cute, Lengal's popular, and print doesn't get your face out there. Now, it wasn't so bad; I can't believe you did that in your suit. Anyway, calm down, drink some wine, and get ready for the vote tomorrow. And if you keep pestering Vic, I swear I'll rip your testicles out by reaching down your throat."

He cringed, but chuckled anyway. Nothing like talking to Rachel "Raven" Roth to put a positive spin on things. There was a reason why he'd hired her as his personal assistant when he first started on at the Thomas Wayne Foundation. Nearly four years later and he wouldn't know what to do without her. "Take care, Rae, and don't listen to too much bad, dark poetry while I'm gone." Before she could defend herself, he clicked off the link and headed for the wine cabinet.

No, Metropolis wasn't all that bad, which was why he set the bottle of Bordeaux down and grabbed the keys to his motorcycle. After all, there wasn't any reason to call up his driver when he was in search of a nice bar to drown all his worries in.

---

"Gar, please, I need you to talk to me." Kory was sitting in the middle of her hotel room, stripped down to her bra, panties, and stockings. Picking up a high heel, she contemplated throwing it at the wall. "I am freaking out here, Gar, and I need you, as my PA, to calm me down."

The young man on the other end of the line laughed so hard that he snorted his soymilk out of his nose. "Starbaby, I need you to take a deep breath. See, this is what happens when you drink too much coffee in one day. I don't want you to touch anything stronger than green tea until you're back in San Francisco." Rubbing at his temple, trying to remember the last time he took an aspirin, Gar leaned back to allow his secretary to clean up the mess he'd made. "Now, I'm sure Blackie is fine. I understand she picked a horrible time to disappear, but, that's what she does."

She dropped the shoe, instead of attempting to make a dent in the wall, and instead wished she could reach through the holo and bash Garfield Logan's head against his far too expensive oak desk. "But she is my sister, Gar, and the last thing I need with this whole merger is finding out that she is getting drunk in Cancun. How can you be so…you're sleeping with Terra again!" Kory bolted up and winced when she banged her head on the coffee table beside her.

"Fuck no and you're using contractions, Star. How about you take a breath and calm down. Order room service, drink a glass of champagne, and get some sleep. You've got that vote to face in the afternoon." Usually Gar would never suggest alcohol; it was usually chocolate soymilk and some whole-wheat toast. After all, that's what he was there for. However, the merger wasn't the only thing Sol Corp. was dealing with. There was a charity ball coming up in the next couple of weeks that was giving him a migraine and Sol Biotech was trying to get a new drug passed through the FDA. His _star _would get through it, she always did.

Huffing loudly, all the while struggling into a pleated mini, Kory rolled her eyes and momentarily forgot she didn't like dropping letters from her words. "This is worse than having to explain exactly where Tamaran is on the world map…twenty times in five minutes. It just pisses me off. I guess it could be worse, she could be doing all this damage in San Francisco…or _here_." Looking up from her hands, Kory tried to pull back her shoulders and not look so defeated. Seeing Morgan running across the screen with an armful of papers, she sighed and offered a weak wave.

"ByeStar, I'll see you on Monday."

The link blinked off and she threw it into her purse, defeated. Talk about her wayward sister, nicknamed _Blackie_ by Gar, usually got promises of a foot rub and expensive organic chocolate. She'd have to give him a vacation, as soon as she got done beating the crap out of him for ignoring her current crisis.

Fortunately, the good thing about Metropolis was that they had plenty of bars. If she was going to have to deal with all the nail biting suspense of waiting on the vote results, then she was going to do it after getting nice and intoxicated. Calling the lobby so that they could get her a cab, she pulled on a light coat and headed for the door.

One good thing about having Koma "Koko" Anders as a sister was that you knew all the best places in the world to become completely shit faced in. Metropolis was no exception.

---

**Note:** This has been bouncing around in my head for ages and it's taken me this long to get it started. Since this is largely a Dick/Kory fic, I hadn't expected Rae and Gar to find such strong voices. I'm glad they did, especially _Mother Hen_ Gar. Next up, Dick and Kory meet, Vic Stone finally gets some action, and our PAs keep rocking hard. If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them at the end of the next chapter. Cheers!


	2. The Eleventh Hour

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 2: The Eleventh Hour**_

**Warnings: **Non-explicit sexual situations, alcohol use, plenty of smoking, a healthy dose of swearing, and eventual mentions of drug use. This is rated M for a reason, people.

---

_I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day._

_- Frank Sinatra_

---

Were anyone to simply walk past the second floor Research and Development wing, they would find nothing amiss. The fluorescent lights were humming pleasantly, the machinery was buzzing and blinking as usual, and the janitorial staff came and went accordingly. Had anyone taken the time to take a closer look, to peak into the office of one Doctor Charles, they would see things were more than just running smoothly.

"Vic…"

A pristine white lab coat was rumpled and thrown over a computer terminal. A grey shirt, black tie, and a pair of heels kicked across the room quickly joined it. Instead of poring over data and lab tech reports, as she usually did after hours, Sarah Charles was propped up on the edge of her desk by one Victor Stone. Although her blouse was falling open and her skirt was hiked up to her waist, he wasn't fairing much better. Naked from the waist up, with his pants around his knees, Vic was the only thing keeping Sarah from sliding off the desk.

Which was only fair, considering his nibbling at her ear was making her as limp as a rag doll.

"Come on, baby, only the cleaning crew is around so late. They won't be coming around until later anyway."

His smile was disarming and the doctor found herself tilting her head to the side to allow him better access to the column of her throat. In the dim light, she could barely make out his prosthetic leg, but couldn't help tracing along it with her fingertips. Although much of his body had been outfitted with prosthetics, including his right arm and parts of his skull, much of it had been covered in artificial skin. Only his left leg was left uncovered, something that had taken her time to get used to.

However, prosthetics were the last thing on Sarah's mind as Vic tugged at her cropped curls and pulled her head back for a searing kiss. In fact, it made her forget why she was avoiding him in the first place. As head Public Relations liaison and one of S.T.A.R. lab's top scientists, respectively, they'd been having enough trouble seeing each other with all the merger business. Wrapping her legs around him as he slid into her, all coherent thought was wiped from her mind as she moved in time with him.

Coming down off the rush of sensations, Sarah took a deep breath and managed to focus enough to take stock of her office. A pile of papers had been pushed off the desk and scattered around the floor, she couldn't see her shoes, and her bra was lost somewhere behind the water cooler.

"Well, that was…"

"Amazing," he finished the thought for her and pulled up his pants. "But, that's to be expected considering this is the first time we've done _that_ in a week and a half. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been avoiding me." His words were light hearted, but she felt a blush staining her dark cheeks anyway. Reaching casually for his shirt, Vic tossed Sarah her blouse before buttoning up. He'd had to work double time with the S.T.A.R. labs buyout, considering he was one of Dick Grayson's closet friends. Any talk of favoritism could have had Wayne bowing out or the other companies lowering their prices. That being said, he hadn't had a lot of time for his girlfriend. With the vote coming the next day, Vic was fully prepared to make up for lost time. And then some.

More focused on the way the light from the hallway glinted off his bald head and less with buttoning her blouse, Sarah's nervousness was trumping any post coital bliss. Her reasons for avoiding her boyfriend of two years were less about the merger and more personal. Finally getting the buttons in all the right holes and her skirt pulled down, Sarah slipped off her desk and distracted herself by hunting for her shoes. Picking up one pump by the heel, she put on her best smile and reached out for his arm.

"Vic, I…"

---

Stepping off his bike, Dick fished his link out of his pocket while fumbling with his helmet. The vibration feature had gone off shortly after he'd parked outside of the Ace o' Clubs bar. Although it was located in one of the shittiest neighborhoods in Metropolis, at the time it had seemed to fit his current mood quite nicely. Although Vic's number popped up on the screen, accompanied by a picture of the man posing with the "V for victory" sign, Dick pushed a couple of buttons and slipped the device back into his pocket. Rae was right, until the takeover was finalized, it was probably best to avoid Vic Stone.

Besides, after the day he had, the last thing he needed to hear was how well Vic and his girlfriend were getting along. He wanted to get pleasantly intoxicated, not drink himself under the bar while his friend regaled him with stories of the wonderful Dr. Sarah Charles. At least this time he could blame it on Rachel. That helped immensely.

Owner and late night bartender, Bibbo Bibbowski, gave him one long look when he entered the building and paused briefly from polishing a glass to motion to a seat at the bar. Ordering whatever was on the tap and laying down some bills, Dick turned around on his bar stool and studied the room. Although the air was heavy with the smell of alcohol and clouds of cigarette smoke, the Ace o' Clubs was clean. Televisions stationed around different spots in the building were showing everything from the latest news headlines to Japanese baseball. It was a decent place to drown your frustrations in.

Pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, never mind that he and Rae had made a promise to quit smoking; Dick lit up and took a long drink from his mug. Focused on smoking and drinking, he ignored the other patrons in the bar and didn't register the door opening. It wasn't until a pair of long legs, partially obscured by a thin, tan trench, rounded the corner that something finally took his attention away from the veins in the imitation marble countertop.

"A shot of vodka and a Long Island Iced Tea, please." She slid up onto a stool, two down from Dick, and quirked a smile in his direction. "The vodka helps clear my head and the Long Island will help ease me into things." Blowing a wavy red tendril out of her eyes and eyeing the cigarette burning in the ashtray beside him, the woman wavered for a minute before leaning forward with her hand extended. "I am Ann and you would be?"

_Totally caught off guard_ came to mind, but he couldn't say that without looking like a total idiot. Instead, he took her hand and did his best impression of a charming, Bruce Wayne-style smile. "You can call me Gray. Exactly what are you doing here at this hour?"

She laughed, even as she shrugged out of her coat, and rolled her pretty green eyes. "Well, I did have the intention of getting really drunk. Really, really drunk. Usually that is what one does when they come to the Ace o' Clubs." Bibbowski chuckled heartily as he caught the tail end of their conversation and slapped the red head's drinks onto the counter top.

Dick watched with wide eyes as Ann took the shot with one gulp and almost immediately set to sipping her other drink. Things had certainly gotten interesting, fast.

---

It was only nine o'clock on the West Coast, but Garfield Logan was just getting warmed up. His meeting with the Japanese had gone extremely well. By the end of the year, Sol Corp and Yoyodyne Enterprises would be breaking ground on a combined aerospace development center outside of Delhi. Even if they didn't win the bid for S.T.A.R. labs, they'd still be able to edge out Wayne Aerospace by 2028. He was in an extremely good mood.

In fact, Gar was in such a good mood that he graciously ignored the latest tabloid covers featuring Koko Anders, _Blackie_, getting completely plastered in some London pub. They were about two weeks late for any _breaking news_ and he'd already dealt with damage control. Jogging through Golden Gate Park with a spring in his step and a smile on his face, Kory Anders' personal assistant blissfully ignored the fact that in a couple of days, he'd be doing the same thing all over again. Cleaning up after Koko was as much of a job as making sure Kory ate well and exercised. Only it was much less enjoyable.

He liked jogging through the park at night. The sun had set less than thirty minutes before and the park was clearing out for the evening. There were no strollers to avoid, no kissing couples to ignore, and the vendors were all packed up and back home. By the time he was done, Gar had completed his two miles for the day and was walking back home to cool down. For most of his life, he'd traveled around the world with his scientist parents, never calling one place home. It wasn't until his senior year in high school, when they'd come to San Francisco to do some joint research with S.T.A.R. that he finally found somewhere he could feel settled.

When he'd met Kory at Golden Gate University, while he was organizing a student council campaign for one of her friends, that he knew he was home. Convinced by the red head that he had a future at her father's company, Gar got his Bachelor of Business Science and went onto specialize in Organization Psychology. He'd gotten a job with the public relations team of the Anders' Family Trust. However, when Kory took a job with Sol Technologies at twenty-three, she'd brought him with her.

In less than eight months, he'd gotten her to the top of that division of Sol Corp. They'd been inseparable for four years. Although they'd gone off on separate projects since then, she didn't like hoarding his skills, this was the first time she'd handled something so big by herself. He felt like a proud mama bird watching her chicks fly out of the nest.

Taking the stairs up to his third floor suite, Gar checked his home link for messages before heading off to take a quick shower. _Hey BB, it's Terra. I just got back from the GEO station in Brazil and was in town. Wondered if you wanted to…_ The message clicked off before she could get to what she really wanted to say and for that he was glad. He'd broken up with the blonde three months earlier and it had been a weight lifted off his shoulders. Rounding into the kitchen for a wheat grass shake, he nearly dropped his glass with the next message. _Gaaarrfieeeld, it's Ko..Kom…it's Blackie. Did I tell you I hated that name? Anyway, I'm in…somewhere and I need you to get me out._ Before the officer could begin to interrupt the drunk woman's slurred directions, he was in the bedroom pulling on a pair of pants. If he wanted to get this taken care of before his star could hear about it in the morning, he'd have to work fast.

---

Stripped out of her pressed business suit and into something decidedly more comfortable, Wayne Enterprises was the last thing on Rachel Roth's mind. Dressed in a simple black dress made out of jersey, her black ankle boots had been kicked under the plush chair she was sitting in. An oversized notebook was settled on top of her crossed legs and she was humming along to the pulsing music blasting over the loud speakers.

Azarath was one of the premiere clubs in Gotham for the poets, the Goths, and the disillusioned youth. A frequent visitor since she was fourteen, around her mother's club she was known as Raven. Even though she'd been involved with Wayne Enterprises for six years and Dick Grayson's personal assistant for four, she still couldn't shake the nickname. That, however, was only a mild inconvenience seeing as the atmosphere was perfect for relaxing after a hectic day and the herbal tea was on the house. Going anywhere else was a waste of money.

Fingering a strand of dyed purple hair, musing that she was due for a touch up, Rae was surprised that Dick hadn't called back. Even when they traveled together, he called her at least three times a day, even when it meant he was calling her from the next room over. She figured he'd gotten drunk on some sinfully good Bordeaux and passed out for the night. At least she hoped so.

Her mother passed by then, all wispy and ethereal, and Rae raised her hand in greeting. "Rachel, darling, it's good to see you looking so well." Arella framed her daughter's face with her hands and kissed her gently on the forehead. If she hadn't been so tired, the young woman would have tried to fend her off. "You should really call your father, dear. Tri has been asking about you." The only reason why her father, Damien Blood, also known as Trigon, would be asking for her was because he wanted something.

"Mum, really, you've been divorced since I was a baby. Why do you feel like sticking up for him now?" Trigon owned a series of clubs in the United States, called Inferno, and each theme was modeled after a different circle of hell. While Rae had to admit it was a novel idea, he was beyond his bounds asking for endorsement.

She didn't want any part in it and didn't want Dick's company involved in any business dealings. Too tired to argue, must less engage in an actual conversation, Rae waved her mother way after _promising_ to get in touch with her father. It was surprising Azarath was so successful, considering her mother seemed so easily influenced. But, perhaps, that was only where her ex-husband was concerned.

Pleased that Joseph "Jericho" Wilson hadn't reared his _impossibly handsome blonde head_, Raven curled up with her mug of tea and let the music overtake her. It was nice to be back in Gotham after all that hoop jumping in Hong Kong. After the vote in Metropolis tomorrow, it was all going to be one big headache or a headache inducing celebration. Either way, she didn't want to think about all the new work that it would create.

---

_Cambodia_. His girlfriend wanted to go to Cambodia. Vic wasn't even sure he could locate Cambodia on the freaking world map and his girlfriend wanted to move there. Granted it would only be six months at a time and she'd be spending some time in Melbourne, but it was still five years. Five years of developing better prosthetics for land mine victims, but it was still five years.

His skin was oddly flushed, patches tinged in red mixed with the flawless coffee color. When he was upset was the only time anyone could tell the majority of his skin wasn't real. Resisting the urge to bash his prosthetic hand against the nearest wall, Vic sucked in a breath and tried to pull it together. There had been yelling, lots of yelling, and Sarah had ended up running out of her office crying.

Victor Stone felt like a complete and total ass. His one good hip hurt like hell from where he'd bashed it into Sarah's desk and he couldn't decide if he wanted to cry or laugh with the stupidity of it all. Grabbing his hand link, careful not to crush it, he quickly dialed in Dick's number. If _anyone_ could calm him down, it was Dick Grayson. Besides, after all the time he'd spent silently listening to how horrible _Barbara_ was after the big break up, Wayne Enterprises' CEO owed him big time. Shareholder vote or not.

Running his free hand over his bald head, Vic leaned up against a wall outside of the S.T.A.R. building and stared down at the small vid screen. Dick flashed up on the screen, stationed behind his mahogany desk, and his friend groaned. _Hello, this is Richard Grayson. Sorry I can't come to the link right now. If you leave your name… _He snorted and wanted to smash the link under his heel. Just what he needed, Dick not answering his link, what was next, the sky falling?

After a rocky five months, he thought his relationship with Sarah was finally on solid ground. He'd even been toying with the idea of asking her to marry him. It'd been a difficult two years, what with their careers pulling them in opposite directions. When it had been announced that S.T.A.R. was putting itself up for sale to the highest bidder, that had almost been it for them. But Vic had busted ass making sure everyone from the scientists to the shareholders were happy, all without looking like he was playing favorites. Now, when he was needed the most, Sarah wanted to pack up and move halfway across the world.

It was obvious she didn't want him coming along to Cambodia.

Stalking down to the parking garage, Vic felt like ripping off his fake leg and beating someone with it. Instead, he got into his car and started towards his apartment in New Troy. It was going to be a long night.

---

"…just here on business, Gray." Kory was on her sixth drink after the Long Island, she'd had a Gin and Tonic, followed by a Tom Collins, which she chased with two Margaritas, and a shot of Everclear before finishing off _Gray_'s third beer. Somehow, she was still sitting up straight and chatting away animatedly. As if answering his surprised look, she laid a hand on his thigh and flashed a brilliant smile. "It's a family thing, we've all got an especially high alcohol tolerance. Kind of like the Irish…or the Russians."

He was shorter than she was, probably around the same height as Roy and Xane, but then just about every man she met was shorter than she was. What she couldn't get over was his impossibly blue eyes and how, the more he drank, the more worried he became about his hair. After two and a half beers, his thick black hair was a mess and his tie was undone and hanging around his neck. Even the rugby matching playing on one of the screens on the far side of the room couldn't sway her attention.

"I live in San Francisco, near Golden Gate Park. Lovely place, they've even got a Japanese Tea House." Her hair was fighting the results of the straightening iron from that morning, the wavy locks struggling to become curls. Twisting her hair off the nape of her neck, she momentarily lost her balance and found herself tumbling forward onto her handsome drinking partner. There was a reason she'd used a false name, things were complicated enough without some _eyewitness_ getting in touch with the tabloids. Straightening up and tugging down her skirt, she grinned and made to stand up. "Maybe finishing off your beer was a bad idea."

She felt him steady her with his hand on the small of her back and couldn't help but shiver. It had been six months since she'd last spoken to Xane and two months since her little romp in the back of the limo with Roy Harper. Otherwise, Kory would have been a little reluctant to flirt so openly with a man whose last name she didn't even know. Even so, she was still a little surprised by the words that came out of her mouth next. "I've got a room at the Halldorf, I could call us a cab and we could get out of here."

_That_ was probably the best idea either one of them had heard all night.

The ride to the hotel was a complete blur. At some point the cabbie had swerved around a sharp corner and Kory ended up toppling over into Gray's lap. Snorting back a fit of giggles, she steadied herself by bracing her palms against his chest. Their noses knocked together as the cab lurched forward and he gripped her chin to steady her face as they raced out of Suicide Slum.

"Oh dear God, I thought I was going to die!" Kory tumbled out of the cab, all legs and heels, and nearly tripped over her coat. Squeezing her arms around Gray's waist, her lips grazed along his jaw-line as they struggled up the stairs to the hotel. Before the bellhop could get past a customary "Miss An-," and blow her cover, she was pushing Gray into the elevator and undoing the buttons of his shirt. Mouth hot on his, she fumbled for her room key while he toyed with the hem of her skirt. By the time she'd gotten the door open one of her stockings was hanging around her knee and Kory was struggling to get her blouse over her head.

Gray's tie was tangled around the ceiling fan and Kory was sure one of her heels had broken off. While her nimble fingers worked at his belt and fly, he gently grabbed her chin and brought her eyes up to meet his. "Look, Ann, before…" She silenced him by pushing him back onto the bed and unhooking her bra clasp. "Do you have a condom?" He nodded weakly and she grinned. "Then that's all I really need to know. You'll go back to…I forgot and I'll go back to…wherever and this can be our little…secret…"

She looked so pleased with herself that he couldn't bring himself to argue. Besides, it made things so much easier if he didn't have to explain who he really was. At some point his link went off but he was much more interested in how soft her skin felt and the way her body moved against his. _Ann_ was making the sweetest keening noises in the back of her throat and when her hands traced down his stomach, he couldn't help but answer in kind.

Just before he moved into her, she leaned forward and gently bit his ear. "I never, ever do things like…this…" And that was the last thing he remembered before all he could focus on was the _sensation _of it all.

Yes, there were definite positives to staying in Metropolis.

---

**Note: **Thanks so much to the reviewers; it's encouraging to get such a positive response this early in the game. I hope the switching perspectives during the chapters doesn't get too confusing, I'll probably slow down at some point in time; less points of view per chapter. But, for right now, I needed to get everything set up. And yes, Kory is extremely drunk…which is why she's pouncing on Dick and using contractions.

Also, after this chapter, I won't be including anymore warnings. There weren't any warnings in the last chapter because I didn't think they were warranted. The story is rated M for a reason, there's going to be alcohol use, swearing, and plenty of sexual situations. If you shouldn't be watching R-rated movies, read this, and then complain about the content, it's your own fault.

Next chapter: Kory kicks Dick out of bed, Gar busts Koko out of jail, and things get a little messy at S.T.A.R. labs. Stay tuned and keep reviewing!


	3. Turn of Events

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 3: Turn of Events**_

**Note: **So, so sorry this has taken so long! Computer problems, a crazy Spring semester, work, and boyfriend-induced stress were all factors that helped bog down the writing process. I do hope to get back on a more consistent writing schedule.

---

_Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for._

_Lawrence Block_

---

"You have got to get up!" Dick groaned and rolled over onto his back, throwing a muscular arm over his eyes to block out the bright sunlight. The voice in his ear was an insistent whine, nothing like the smoky purr from the night before. _The night before_. God, exactly what had he been thinking? "Come on, please, please do not make me drag you out of bed."

He chuckled, groaned again at the effort, and made a half hearted attempt to sit up. Falling back onto the fluffy down pillows, the young executive wondered just how Ann was functioning. Because, while he was sore in places that he didn't even know he had, she'd had more to drink than he'd thought humanly possible. He would have been more impressed if she hadn't been tugging at the comforter like an anxious child.

Finally opening his eyes, what Dick couldn't help but be impressed with was the sight of Ann bent over him. Wrapped in a fluffy white towel, courtesy of the Halldorf, she was flushed pink and still dripping wet from the shower. Feeling the blood rush from his head and head to a decidedly lower location, he reached up to pull her into bed with him. "Now, come on, _Annie_, what's the rush? It's barely seven o'clock and if we let this shower go to waste, you'll just have to take another…with me." When she leaned over, he closed his eyes but left the self-satisfied grin plastered on his face. It disappeared in a flash when the lovely redhead planted her teeth none too gently in his shoulder.

"What the hell?"

"I've…I have…damn it! My schedule looks like this," her hands waved wildly in his face as if she couldn't quite find the words to get her point across, "and I don't have the time for…for…_this_. So, please, grab a cup of coffee and a Danish on your way out, but, you _have_, _have, have _to go. Now!" He frowned, rubbed his shoulder, and wondered where all his God-given charm had fled to. It'd probably gone wherever his hard on had shriveled off to. Maybe Bruce was right, maybe women were all just insane.

"Fine, geez," His hip hurt but he managed to get out of bed without wincing and Ann retreated to the bathroom, looking extremely guilty. And while it surprised him, maybe softened his scowl a little bit, Dick couldn't forget that she'd bit him. Hard. Pulling up his pants, buckling his belt with clumsy fingers, he began searching for his shoes and eventually found them underneath the dresser. "I think I liked you better with your legs wrapped around my…"

"For the love of…" Her face turned a lovely shade of pink and he wondered, if only for a moment, if she really had never brought a guy home from the bar with her. "I am sure that you are a very, very busy man and have plenty of things to do today. Please," her fingers went lax against the straightening iron and she leaned up against the doorway, "do not make this any harder than it already is. Last night…"

That he didn't need to hear. There was a vague memory of pillow talk, something about an ex-boyfriend and how it had _never_ been like that. Dick didn't need to feel guilty. He didn't need to worry about hurting the feelings of some young woman who he'd known for less than twelve hours. Grabbing his jacket, he headed to the door without any prompting and reached for his link.

It all reminded him of his last night with Barbara. She'd been crying and kept leaning against the kitchen counter like she was going to fall down. How she was so sorry, how she didn't want him to go, how she hadn't _meant_ to sleep with one of the detectives on her father's squad. Listening to Vic's angry message, Dick mused that he'd never been very good with crying women. That and he needed to find his motorcycle.

---

Garfield Logan was tired. Actually, saying that he was simply tired probably qualified for the understatement of the year. After grabbing one of Sol Corp's many private jets, thankfully there was always one fueled up and ready to go, he started on a non-stop flight. There hadn't been much time to sleep as they'd gone through time zones. He wasn't a lawyer; his knowledge of the law was laughable at best. His job was mainly to organize and motivate, to negotiate and put a friendly face on compromises. And to take care of Kory. And to make sure Koko didn't drag her family's name completely through the mud.

It wasn't, however, to organize jailbreaks.

Because he very well couldn't rush into the Blüdhaven PD and demand the release of Koma Anders, he'd roused two of his favorite Sol Corp lawyers out of sleep and drug them along for the ride. Now all three were in the back of a sleek black limo nursing cups of coffee picked up at the airport in Gotham. Damon Matthews looked like he was going to fall asleep, slumped over his seat, cup of coffee held between his knees. He'd been on the legal team since Kory was in high school and she'd briefly had a crush on him, until Gar had pointed out Matthews was in a very stable relationship with Todd Rice. Of course, Catherine Colbert didn't look much better. Curled up on the seat across from Damon and Gar, the PA wondered how she was going to get the wrinkles out of her grey suit. Although she'd only been working with Sol for a couple of months, she worked hard and was rarely ever out the office doors at five.

"Maybe if we killed her…"

"Oh, yeah, Kory would really go for that." Damon lifted his head up long enough to take a sip of coffee and shoot a glare in Gar's direction. "Besides, what would we do with the body?"

"No one ever looks in Gotham Bay anymore. I mean, seriously, it's the perfect place to dump a body. The mob _loves_ it." Catherine chuckled and sat up when the driver announced they were approaching their destination. "Now, I figure Damon and I will handle the illustrious officers of BPD and Gar can grab our wayward charge." The young man frowned, even as he realized it was the best course of action. Hadn't he brought lawyers along so he could avoid the legal jargon?

"Fine, but you're paying for my dry cleaning if she pukes on my suit. S'new, don't you like it?"

Neither one of the lawyers made a comment as they began their way out of the limo and up the steps to the police department. As far as Gar was concerned, Blüdhaven needed to be blown off the map. It was a gray and drab city that was forever in the shadow of the glamorous, metropolitan Gotham City. Well known for corruption within the police force, it wasn't a surprise that there was a small contingent of reporters surrounding the station. Running his fingers from his hair, groaning loudly, he wondered just how long it would take their public relations team to sort this out.

Catherine was the first through the door, already bristling at some of the rude comments thrown her way. Before Damon could stop her, she was red faced and berating the rookie cop behind the counter, looking like she was going to reach forward and shake him. As entertaining as it was to watch, Gar knew he needed to find Koko.

Three years older than Kory, Koma Anders had begun her life as trouble, through no fault of her own. Born without the use of her legs, her parents spoiled her heavily, feeling guilt for her disability. When Kory was born, appeasing Koma for the sake of the peace became common practice. By the time she was sixteen, the eldest Anders daughter made her debut as "Koko" on the party circuit. In no time she was a regular in the tabloids from everything from recreational drug use to sleeping with the next big name in rock music. Even though Kory modeled briefly in high school, while managing to keep straight As and went on to speed through college, eventually running Sol Tech at the age of 24, Koko was still her parents' favorite child. And she resented them immensely for it.

Valtonin, Sol Biotech's newest drug, was supposed to have been the cure that got Koko out of her wheelchair and up on her own two legs. Although developed to correct nerve damage as a result of, mainly, sporting accidents, the Sol scientists had though it might have been able to correct Koko's congenital nerve damage. With the trial having come to an end and being pushed on the FDA in the coming weeks, it had been successful for its intended use but had no effect on Koko's disability.

And she was apparently taking it out on the world. Starting with a heavy night of partying in Blüdhaven.

"Gar! Oh, Gar, Gar, Gar_field_ Logan!" The young woman in question was propped up on the bunk in her single cell, a puddle of vomit evident on the floor beneath. Her long, useless legs dangled at a precarious angle and her chair rested in the far corner of the cell. She looked more bored than angry, although, hangovers seemed to have that effect. "What took you so long? I've been waiting forever!"

"Sorry, Blackie, the Midwest must have gotten bigger since my last trip. God, Kory's going to have a heart attack." She frowned, like a petulant child, and any sympathy he had for her vanished. She had turned thirty almost four months before and yet, she still acted like a teenager who had been given the car keys for the first time. "You're lucky I've got Catherine and Damon here with me. Otherwise, I might have had to leave your sorry ass in jail for another night." Ignoring the cop who opened the cell door for him, Gar grabbed the wheelchair and navigated around the vomit in the cell. Gently settling Koko in the seat, he started towards the station's entrance, ignoring Catherine's tirade. Damon, surprisingly, had joined in as well.

Wrinkling her nose, Koko yawned and allowed her head to roll to the side. "Stupid bitch could always hold her alcohol better than I could. Y'know, I was having the most awesome time last night when this stupid officer pulled me off the street for D&D…" Waving at the gathered paparazzi as they gingerly made their way down the steps, Blüdhaven obviously wasn't up on the American's with Disabilities Act, Gar prayed that his grip would slip and the idiot in his care would snap her neck on the way down the stone steps.

No such luck.

Safely within the confines of the limo, Gar thrust his half drunk coffee in Koko's direction and let her chatter away. Let her have her fun, because when they got back to San Francisco, he was going to lock her stupid ass in a closet and keep her there until she learned her lesson.

"New bitch and my favorite gay dude! Thanks so much for bailing me out of jail, I owe you…a lot." Damon said nothing and immediately got to sorting out paper work. Hopefully, they could throw enough money at the problem and it would go away. Well, that and…

"Rehab! You are going to rehab, that's it. Let's see, shall we? You're an alcoholic, probably addicted to cocaine seeing as several eyewitnesses saw you doing lines in the bathroom, and, I'm sure…" Before the royally pissed off Catherine could continue, Koko leaned forward and vomited all over her brand new red leather heels. It was probably the only time Gar had ever seen the brunette speechless. He was also really glad Blackie hadn't chosen to vomit on his suit. As if reading his mind, Catherine glared in his direction.

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna go pass out now." And, with that, Gar pulled out his link and began dialing Leslie Thompkins. Her clinic in Gotham was the best in the nation and, with any luck, he could have the wayward Anders sister checked in and be on a jet back to San Francisco before Kory caught wind of any of it. At least he hoped, as he handed a napkin to Catherine, that it went half as smoothly as that.

---

"Cambodia! Sarah's moving to mother fucking, Godforsaken Cambodia, and you couldn't answer your damn link." Dick's normal quiet condo was filled with the angry, volatile ranting of his best friend, Vic Stone. Pushing his lukewarm scrambled eggs around his plate, it was obvious he was doing his best to listen. Vic and Sarah had never had a stable relationship, by anyone's standards. When they were good, things were amazing. When they were bad…well, bad quickly became an understatement.

And now, just when things were back to being picture perfect and sickly sweet, Sarah was moving halfway across the world.

"I mean, hell, isn't that where Angelina Jolie adopted her first kid from? What do they need Sarah for, can't Mama Jolie just throw some money at Cambodia for landmine protection? And prosthetics…" Vic's face fell as he looked down at his own prosthetic arm. He'd have been dead, after all, if his own father hadn't pioneered the technology. Sarah was just following her idol's footsteps, trying to make sure other children didn't suffer. For a moment, he felt like an outrageous jackass.

And so he did what he always did, changed the subject.

"So, it must have been some wild night last night. You can barely walk straight, buddy. Je_sus_, what did that girl do to you?" Leaning forward to smack his best friend on the back, Vic's hand dropped down when Dick simply shook his head, annoyed.

Downing the rest of his coffee, Dick shrugged and made to stand up at the knock at the door. "I'll tell you something Vic, I seem to attract the crazy ones. Crazy woman _bit me _when I wouldn't leave her hotel room this morning. Nothing like that has ever happened to Bruce, ever." No, Vic concluded, not to Bruce Wayne, ladies' man extraordinaire. Looking down at his watch, he realized not only was it far too early for drinking but the merger vote was in an hour and he had to be there. And it wasn't going to do any good for him and Dick to arrive together.

"Bruce?"

"Bruce what? Seriously man, that chick must have knocked your brain loose. Oh, well, hello Mr. Wayne." Although Vic was built like a linebacker, he felt no shame in backing up from the president of Wayne Enterprises. The man was imposing enough on a vid feed, but, it was an entirely different thing to see him in person. "Well, Mr. Wayne, Dick, I think I should be…"

The man held up a hand and in the same breath offered an easy smile. "No bother, Mr. Stone, I wouldn't mind your company on the way to merger meeting. Dick, my meeting in Hong Kong ran short and I figured I'd swing by Metropolis to see this out myself." The tension, thick as fog just moments before, quickly dissipated as Dick's scowl gave way to an expression of relief.

"Alfred will stay behind to help pack your things. You did good, you know, but, I didn't doubt it for a moment." The potentially touching scene was interrupted by the ringing of a link and Vic started towards the hallway. Bruce Wayne could be distant, demanding, and a workaholic, but, it was obvious he cared about his adopted son. Too bad, Vic thought, that his father couldn't show half as much concern. Add that to his next therapy session, that and his problems with Sarah.

He was going to need a vacation after this. A very long vacation. Perhaps Dick had some beachfront property he'd be willing to lend for the next six months. After all, the guy owed him, big.

"Rachel was a little surprised by your late night call, Mr. Stone, but she forwarded the message anyway. Then again, it's probably best this way, all three company heads meeting up to await the outcome."

"Yeah," Vic smiled and rubbed his hands together, "I know I'm suppose to be biased, but I hope that Luthor pisses himself." Wayne allowed himself a chuckle and they got inside the limo. Yeah, Dick owed him big time.

---

"You what?" Kory nearly threw her link against the pretty marble tile that lead towards the S.T.A.R. boardroom. "Oh, don't you dare tell me to lower my voice, Garfield James Logan. You put my sister in rehab for X'hal's sake!" She wavered for a moment, long legs unsteady in black pumps. Her brain was pounding with frustration and a massive hangover. Leaning up against a pretty, pale blue wall, she sent a silent prayer to the deity that she had been the first to arrive.

To his credit, Gar looked extremely uncomfortable. Clearing his throat for the third time, he loosened his tie and looked around, presumably at Damon and Catherine, for support. "She was in lock up, in Blüdhaven for God sakes, for the night. OK Magazine has already got a piece headed for the presses and I'm sure the other big names aren't far behind." Next thing would be the legitimate newspapers. A tagline at the end of all the talk about the merger. "She needs help, Kory…"

"And that wasn't your place. I _needed _you last night but couldn't get any help, but there you go, storming after to help my sister out of another freaking mess." Immediately regretting her words, Kory opened her mouth to apologize but was stopped short when the screen blanked out. Angrily tossing her link into her purse, she knew she was in for some major groveling when she got back home.

Even if she was right, on principle.

Thoughts interrupted as Victor Stone strode in from the elevator, Kory was surprised to see Bruce Wayne following after him. A jarring surprise, but, nothing could really do much to her after the heavy drinking, wild sex, and the news that her sister was now tucked into some lovely rehab facility in Gotham City. She briefly thought about asking Mr. Wayne about his opinions on Leslie Thompkins when Lex Luthor and the merger board emerged from the stairwell. Peachy. Let the meeting begin.

---

There was talking. More talking. And a little more talking.

Even the ever polished, ever sleazy Lex Luthor hadn't been able to keep from yawning once or twice.

And although Kory's eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head and she couldn't stop thinking about Gray, it didn't stop her from doing a little victory dance when Sol Corp was announced as the winner.

Highest bidder.

Whatever.

It also didn't stop her from inviting Bruce Wayne to Sol Corp's annual charity ball and pointedly ignoring Lex Luthor as she headed out the door. Maybe the world was really getting better ever day. Maybe.

---

**Note: **Whew, Chapter 3 is finally done with. That was the fourth time I've tried to write that…and probably the sixth or seventh revision of the jail scene. In the end, I decided to go with a little something less dramatic. Pretty much, Chapter 3 didn't do much but set us up for the rest of the story. Sorry there was so little Raven action, she'll get plenty of screen time next chapter. As for Dick and Kory, _that _explosion was set aside for the moment as well. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. As always, reader feedback is appreciated. Thank you so much for sticking around, I'm going to make it worth your while.

I hope, anyway.


	4. Sixty Seconds to Meltdown

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 4: Sixty Seconds to Meltdown**_

**Note: **When life gives you lemons, and you respond in kind with a shot of whiskey, this chapter could quite possibly be considered the love child of that response. Please enjoy, it should be much better than Chapter 3. Oh and HR is just some random fictional magazine. Think GQ (H comes after G, R comes after Q) but a little less so.

---

_It is the calm and silent water that drowns the man._

_African Proverb_

---

Rachel Roth was a formidable force. All pale skin and violet eyes, purple hair slicked back into a sophisticated bun, she managed to find a balance between Goth and business chic. But it was probably her stony glare and icy tone that did it for most people, not the fashion. Currently Damien Blood, a.k.a. Trigon, a.k.a. her absentee father, was the recipient of the two most dangerous weapons in her arsenal. And he was more than aware.

"Rachel, darling, I'm simply asking for a quiet business dinner to discuss…" To most, Blood was a charming man; tall and broad shouldered, with dark hair and a wolfish grin always at the ready. He'd been married once, to Arella Roth, and since the divorce had proclaimed a healthy dislike for the institution. The women ate it up and the men admired him. His daughter, however, thought that he was a selfish, inconsiderate pig. On good days, he was apt to agree with her.

"What you are asking, _Father_, is to arrange a meeting with my boss. Not to discuss business dealings, as much as that thought turns my stomach, but to discuss the possibility of your running…" She almost couldn't finish the sentence, the absurdity of the whole situation causing laughter to bubble up in her throat. Her father had always been a disappointment. He was rarely involved in her life and, when he was, there was always some grand reason behind the limited visitation. _Come meet Daddy's investors…Oh come out to Purgatory, we're trying to attract the younger crowd…Rachel, honey, could you please tell your mother_; it was enough to make her blood boil. Even after two years worth of intensive counseling sessions and plenty of herbal tea.

Regaining her composure, smoothing down the front of her blouse, Rachel frowned and shook her head. "You want to run for a seat in New York's State Senate. It's disgusting, Father, really, it is." She had thought, silly her, that maybe he'd actually want to talk about her life. Play catch up. Find out what had been really going on with her job at Wayne Enterprises and her break up with Joe. No, he just wanted Wayne's money and recommendation. It wasn't anything new, it shouldn't have surprised her, but it did. "What are you going to do, push bills for the encouragement of organized crime and helping dead beat dads ease out of child support payments?"

Damien did nothing but quirk an eyebrow in his daughter's direction and go back to eating his baked salmon. He made no move to comfort her, had no soft words to calm her down because there really was no use now. It had been a long shot, after all. So, when Rachel rose and set her napkin down on the table, it was no surprise to either one of them. No big shock to the rest of Gotham City, if any of the members had been paying attention.

"Maybe if you died, I could manage to muster up some sympathy. I doubt it, but, it would be a worthy try. Come on, _Dad_, why don't you jump under a bus? Better yet, a train." Hoisting her purse up onto her shoulder, Rachel checked her watch and hoped the office hadn't gone to hell in her absence. Normally an hour and a half wasn't a problem; however, the new office secretary was an idiot and had almost set the break room into flames the day before. Just by using the microwave. "Oh, and if you bother Mom again, I'll rip out your spine and feed it to you. Got that?"

For the first time in her life, Rachel Roth appreciated Dick's insistence that she always have a driver when she went anywhere on company time. Because, instead of struggling to hail a cab and angrily dodging her father's half assed attempts to continue their conversation, she was allowed to slip into the back of a nice luxury sedan and forget for a moment that a stupid blonde, named Kitten, had probably leveled Wayne Tower. All with paper clip and a bottle of water.

She grinned, flipped out her link, and called Dick for the third time that day to remind him to make sure his tux was ready at the cleaners. They did have a charity ball to go to, after all.

---

"You look so good, Kory, just like that, that I swear I could eat you all up." The redhead jolted up, shocked out of her daydreams by a lanky blonde leaning up against the entrance to her office. Instead of frowning and telling him off for being a pervert, she rushed into his arms and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek. "Roy Harper! I have not seen your skinny ass since…"

She blushed prettily, her orange-tinged tan lighting up in a pink glow. It had been nearly five months since she'd last seen him. That meeting had involved three glasses of champagne, a couple of pain blockers, and a good amount of post breakup stress brought on by a chance meeting with Xane. And it had all cumulated to the two rolling around in the back seat of a Sol Corp limo. She'd yet to find her panties.

This was the same guy who made her eat sand when she was five.

"So, pretty lady, who are you taking to Sol's annual charity ball?" Harper was many things: a consummate flirt, all around sex object, and HR's bachelor of the year, three times running. He was also extremely skilled at avoiding uncomfortable subjects with ease. The adopted son of Oliver and Dinah Queen, Roy was nothing but his father's son. Kory loved him immensely for it.

Slipping out of her heels, Kory treaded softly to the large window overlooking San Francisco Bay and shrugged. "Up until two hours ago, I thought I was taking Gar. Again. You know, because Xane bailed on me last year. But he has apparently reconciled, _again_, with that stupid blonde bimbo…"

"…who happens to be the most brilliant geologist in recent history…"

"…so he thought it would be nice if _they _could go together. You know, all nice and couple like." Gritting her teeth, her slender fingers clenched to make a fist, Kory relaxed the minute Roy's arms encircled her waist. They'd never worked out as a couple but as friends with the occasional benefits, they did just fine. "I thought that if Gar was going to be a stupid moron and risk another emotional death at the hands of that scum…"

"…that you'd ask me to be your date to the ball. How sweet, Kor, I thought you'd never ask." She giggled and let him place a kiss on her ear before moving his lips down her neck. It had been two months since her trip to Metropolis and there had been plenty of trips since then. While it was obvious who Victor Stone had wanted to win out of the three companies, they had taken well to each other. In the end, all he wanted was what was best for his company. There had been some reorganization and restructuring, a little shuffling around to make sure the most promising projects got top priority as far as funding and manpower were concerned. A little digging and a couple of renewed patents later and S.T.A.R. labs was set on the path to financial security. This was extremely good news, because, no matter how much hope she had in its people, she very well couldn't have S.T.A.R. dragging Sol Corp into the ground.

And yet, with all the work in San Francisco, plus the conference calls with her Japanese partners over the Delhi project, and all the preparing for the charity ball, Kory hadn't been able to stop thinking about the man she'd met at the bar.

She was always able to stop thinking about the occasional man she'd met at the bar.

Even when Roy helped her out of her blouse, shimmied her skirt over her hips, or balanced her up against the wall, she couldn't help think about Gray's cool blue eyes and his disarming smile. Even gasping around Roy's kisses, she couldn't help but think of _him_. It was becoming more than a little disturbing.

All in all, it didn't take very long. She had been on edge for days and he'd been more than ready; although short it had been more than enough to ease their mutual tension. After years of leading a carefree, playboy life, Roy was now being expected to buckle down and help out with the family business. And for Kory, it seemed that life was constantly sending new obstacles for her to overcome.

"You know, Star, we should do that more often. I know, we should bust your sister out of rehab for a threesome. Better yet…" Half dressed, she managed to keep her balance long enough to smack the blonde upside his head.

"Keep that talk up, Harper, and I will make sure you never sleep with another woman again. Just lots of burly men named Sue…or something like that." More focused on her lips than the actual words, Roy just nodded and plopped down in the comfy leather chair behind her desk. "But, anyway, it is black tie, so, I want to see you in a tux. And you might want to think about getting a haircut, and…"

"Relax, woman, it's no wonder you can't get laid more often. Your pillow talk is absolutely horrid." This was from the same guy who, in college, had rolled over right after sex and gone back to playing his Playstation. No, oh no, Kory Anders had nothing on him. Not that he was ever going to tell her that. "I did, however, just pop by Gotham after my whirlwind tour of Europe with Ollie and Dinah. Little Miss Blackie is doing pretty well. Thompkins said you're welcome to visit any time."

"Yeah and have her mash jello all over my brand new suit again. Love to. No, of all the people I trust, she responds the best to you. Once she learned that Gar, Damon, and Catherine were responsible for getting her stuck in the place, I am sure she started plotting their demise. As for me," she already knew how her sister felt but decided it needed to be reiterated, "Koko believes it would be best if I drop off the face of the earth to begin my first, of a thousand, excruciating deaths. She is sweet like that."

She'd chosen Roy to check up on her sister because he knew what it was like to be an addict. In high school, he'd experimented with marijuana on the weekends and with ecstasy whenever he managed to sneak into a rave. Because Dinah's career as the lead singer of a rock group meant she traveled often and Ollie's job as an ad executive meant he was rarely home, Roy pretty much had free reign. By the time he was in college, he'd developed a heroin habit. It wasn't until Dinah had walked in on him unconscious on her kitchen floor when he was home from his sophomore year of college that they realized he had a problem.

They'd checked him into Thompkins' clinic the next day.

So, not only did Koko love Roy to pieces, even though he wholeheartedly agreed with her rehab stint, and he could be trusted to keep things quiet, but, she also knew he could fully sympathize with what her sister was going through. It had been a weight lifted off of her shoulders.

Running her fingers through his hair before resting her chin on the top of his head, Kory sighed and listened to Roy ramble on for a couple of moments before Gar burst into the room. Even though his arms were full of very important looking documents, he'd still given them some time before descending.

"If it isn't my favorite geologist humping green dude…"

"Shut it Harper."

"…who has yet to admit that Kory's the sexiest thing on legs." Gingerly hopping up from his seat, careful not injure the redhead in the process, Roy slipped past his favorite pain-in-the-ass PA and made his way out the door. "So you got your update, a date-date, and a little something more. Anything else, wonderful?"

"Yeah, I will pick you up at eight, tomorrow night. And do try to look dashing; a contingent from Wayne Enterprises is going to be there. Got to look our best, right?"

Ignoring the air kiss blown gingerly in her direction and Gar's complaints that Roy Harper was nothing more than a whore monger, Kory set to work. But not before giving one last thought to Gray and the fact she'd have to empty her own trash out tonight before the janitorial staff got a hold of it. A small price to pay if it resulted in Gar making a face like _that_.

---

"What's wrong, Rae? The staff looked a little more shaky than usual." Dick walked into Rachel's corner office, tugging on a stray purple hair as he strode past. Although his larger office was across the hall, he preferred to visit her instead of paging in on the building's intralink system. Especially when she came back from lunch completely frazzled; she usually calmed down immensely after her lunch break.

Unfolding his body into a plush leather chair, he rested his chin in his hands and sighed. The young woman took it as a sign that he wasn't leaving any time soon. Not until he got what he wanted, anyway.

"Nothing's wrong, Dick, nothing for you to worry about." No, she wasn't going to let him worry about her father. They'd met four years ago when she'd been a struggling grad student and he'd been recently assigned to head the Thomas Wayne Foundation. She'd started bitching at him for taking up too much space doing paperwork in a quiet coffee shop and a rather stressed out Dick had offered her a job.

She'd accepted without a second thought. Although she'd initally viewed the job as a way to finish up her degree in Old English literature without having to take her father's money, with all the strings attached, Rachel quit school within six months and began working full time for Dick. And when he was promoted, she went with him. After that one act of kindness, she tried to keep her father out of Dick's life as much as she could.

It was the least she could do.

Blood's newest adventure, a foray into politics, was proving to be quite the stressor. It hadn't helped, of course, that she'd walked onto the sixth floor of Wayne Tower to see Kitten pulling bubblegum out of her hair and chatting animatedly on the phone to, who Rachel assumed, her boyfriend. So, yes, she'd blown up and threatened to fire the moron. And most of the secretarial staff. But it wasn't Dick's problem.

"Anyway, you're all ready for our trip to San Francisco, right? Bruce has a meeting with the Hong Kong investors that I've got to brief him on and you've got a conference call with Wayne Germany that Julie Madison, from Wayne Medical, is going to help you with." Straightening her papers and backing up from her desk, she flashed a half hearted smile and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Make sure you're all packed up, double check your messages, and don't forget to have that Briggs girl…"

"…Emily?"

"Yes, make sure she picks up your dry cleaning. We're going to be leaving early tomorrow morning, okay?" Heading out the door, she ran over her mental checklist one last time just to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. With a heavy sigh, she started towards the elevators and Wayne's office on the ninth floor when a soft pressure on her lower back stopped her.

"Promise me you'll slow down for a little bit today. Take a break, go take a walk in the park, go see your mother, something. I can't have my assistant, and my date to this stupid charity ball, having a mental break down. All right?" She scowled, nudged him with her shoulder, and then grudgingly accepted the one armed hug he gave her.

Dick Grayson was much too important of a person to have in her life. She refused to let her father ruin that for her. Avoiding his pleading blue eyes, she nodding and wriggled out of his grasp. "Promise."

---

Garfield Logan knew that he was in trouble. Which was probably why he'd let Roy Harper walk into Sol Corp headquarters unannounced, waltz his way up to Kory's seventh story office, and have his way with her, even though he'd carried a personal dislike for the cocky, arrogant playboy for years. He had hoped that a little attention from her second closest friend, Gar, of course, being the first, would calm the redhead down to the point where she wasn't glaring daggers into his face.

He had been sorely mistaken.

Of course she'd been angry; she hated Terra with a fiery passion that no one had really ever been able to explain. Well, except for Xane who, in a fit of drunken ranting, had declared that his girlfriend was impossibly jealous of the blonde. As it wasn't true, no one took much note of it. Well, except for the tabloids, who ran a series for similar stories all chronicling his secret affair with his boss.

Yes, Terra could be difficult, but, he was finally coming to the realization that he loved her and wanted to be with her. After the rather stressful trip back Thompkins' clinic, he'd, rather guiltily, given into the urge to call his ex-girlfriend. One thing led to the other and soon enough, they'd been dating for almost a month and a half. And he'd put off telling Kory as long as possible, knowing exactly what her reaction would be.

As long as possible being about three hours ago.

Sure, he'd made her grovel for a couple of days because of a few choice comments she'd made about him _not_ being there for her when she needed him during her Metropolis trip. This far exceeded the payback for the organic, imported chocolates he'd made her buy for him.

And the foot massage.

And the poorly written sonnet she'd recited over the comm. system.

So, he did what any sensible person would do when Kory Anders' anger was directed upon their person. He'd said what needed to be said, dropped the papers off at her desk, and gotten the hell out of her office. Even Morgan wasn't talking to him. He suspected she'd spit in his chocolate milk.

Reaching into his link, Gar sighed and laid his head on the table as he dialed in the number for his girlfriend's personal link. Since her return from the new GEO station in Brazil, she'd been given six months off to recoup and reorganize. In just three more months, however, she'd be jetting off to some new locale, probably South Africa or China, to start working again.

Maybe this time he'd be better at handling the distance and her, sometimes, unstable personality.

"Hey, baby…oh, nothing's wrong, just wanted to hear your voice before I got in on the conference call with Yoyodyne Enterprises." He smiled and set the link up on his desk. Yeah, this was definitely worth a couple of days of his star being royally pissed off at him.

---

**Note: **Whew! Is it just me or was that chapter longer than usual? I don't know, but, as I promised, there was plenty of Rachel. Actually, this was supposed to be the chapter with the charity ball, but I got this awesome Gar/Rae scene going in my head at work and I knew I couldn't fit it all in. But, I've got an amazing set up going --- the build up is going to be worth it. Chapter 5 is going to be where Kory and Dick meet up again for the first time since their little tryst and our trusty PAs are finally going to get to have a conversation. The Twenty Eighth Annual Sol Corp Charity Ball is definitely the place you're going to want to be. All the pieces are going to come together and it's going to make for one rocking explosion.


	5. Overly Delayed Reaction Pt 1

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 5: Overly Delayed Reaction (Part 1)**_

**Note: **I am so, so sorry for how long this has taken. This has been up and ready to go since the end of June/beginning of July. But then I ended up having to split it into two parts (you'll be glad that I did) and the second part took a lot longer than expected and I wanted them to be released together. I'm on medical leave from work right now (getting your jaw surgically moved forward 8 millimeters will get you off for two weeks) and since I'm totally off my RX pain meds, my brain is working fine. Look forward to a lot more updates before August 15th. I know I say that A LOT but I seriously can't do anything but sit around in bed all day until all the swelling goes down. Cheers!

---

_Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices._

_Alfred A. Montapert_

---

Since its inception in 1944, when Tamaranean immigrant Bergeand'r, better known as Berge Anders, created Bright Star Shipping in a run down warehouse, the company had always dedicated itself to giving back to the community. After the 1945 buyout of Hartley Corp. and JumP Inc., the renamed Sol Corp. began to reach beyond the immigrant population and into greater San Francisco. By the 1970s, they were well known for their charity both at home and abroad. However, it wasn't until Berge stepped down as head of the corporation in 1997, and Myr took over, that Sol Corp. began hosting a charity ball. And now, twenty eight years later, it was one of San Francisco's most talked about events.

The annual Sol Corp. charity ball was an event better suited for the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles than laid back, granola San Francisco. And yet, every year, like every other year, the Anders family insisted on hosting it in the city. With Kory claiming, just like her grandfather and father before her, that all the affluent guests were good for the economy. In a way, they were probably right. From its own pocket Sol Corp. donated millions of dollars every year. The corporation donated to everything from women's shelters to funding AIDS research to helping save coral reefs. What was more impressive, however, was the vast amount of donations that the Lucy Anders Foundation managed to collect every year. 2025 had probably been their best year, with nearly six billion dollars raised from various public and private organizations. Even companies with their own charity-based foundations, like Wayne Enterprises, made considerable donations. And every year, everyone who donated was invited to the Anders' mansion in Pacific Heights as thanks for their charity.

Quite frankly, it was one tradition that Gar had never understood. It was just a grand celebration so that the rich people could pat themselves on their backs for doing what they should be doing anyway. Not that he should complain, his parents' research had probably benefited from grants given out by some of these same rich people. Still, it didn't help that he was in a horrible mood that was in no hurry to lift and go off to bother someone else.

Kory still wasn't talking to him, not really anyway. She'd spewed off a handful of terse comments and then came up with even more errands for him to run to keep him out of the office for the rest of the afternoon. Even Morgan, who had unapologetically taken Kory's side when he'd spilled the news of his renewed romance with Terra, had given him a pitting stare and promised to finish some of his reports.

Going home hadn't made things any better. Gar had planned on relaxing. He wanted to change into comfortable clothes, jog around Golden Gate Park, take his sweet time getting ready for the charity ball, and then go pick up Terra from her apartment in the Marina district. The reality he came home to was far more disturbing. Terra had been sprawled in the middle of his living room, an explosion of books and papers radiating out from her. She had smiled meekly and muttered some excuse about her place being too full and her boss needing the report in the morning. He'd tried his best to ignore her but that seemed to only make it worse. By the time they were both showered and dressed, she'd at least had enough foresight to bring her clothes with her, they had fallen into the familiar pattern of fighting "between the lines."

By the time they reached the Anders mansion, Gar was contemplating kicking Terra out of the limo Kory had sent for them and then directing the driver to run her over.

While not a red carpet event, the entrance to the Anders mansion was still packed with reporters and paparazzi. He squeezed through the throng taking note that Selina Kyle was draped across Bruce Wayne's arm for the _third _consecutive time and wondered if that actually meant anything. By the time he'd dodged all the questions, _Yes Koma Anders was in rehab for drug and alcohol related problems_ and _No, Kory was not seeing Roy Harper, they were just friends_ and the comments, _Yes, Terra's green dress did bring out her eyes _and _No, he had no idea who the designer was…he was just the arm candy_, Gar was ready to run screaming for the champagne.

Thankfully a nice man in a crisp suit handed him a glass straight off.

For a little while, Gar felt as if maybe he had slipped back into a sense of normalcy with Terra. She stayed glued to his side, chatting pleasantly with the donors and laughing at all his jokes, even the bad ones. It wasn't until she spotted Kory across from the room, looking gorgeous in a spring green dress, that he realized why it was never going to work.

Terra hated Kory. She hated her with a passion that overwhelmed even Kory's hatred for the geologist. It was never something he'd been able to understand, ever. Only where Kory was able to hide her hatred being thinly veiled pleasantries, Terra was completely honest with her feelings. Her complaints were so common that Gar had them memorized: _She keeps you in her shadow_, _She doesn't care about your feelings, _and, his personal favorite, _She's a stupid whore who only cares about herself._

And, were he being honest, Kory wasn't the only obstacle to the relationship working properly. Terra and he were always arguing. It could be over something as silly as what to make for breakfast with him wanting everything vegan and certifiably organic and her wanting bacon, eggs, and pancakes dripping with honey. Sometimes it was over something serious, like the fact that he worked over sixty five hours every week and that she was either halfway across the world or planning on being there. But, generally, their arguments feel somewhere in between. Granted, there were periods of calm, usually after lots of hot makeup sex, but those became fewer and father between every argument and every time they got back together.

He wasn't sure what had made him this that this time would be any different. It was never, ever any different.

Yes, he could have stopped Terra from marching across the room. Perhaps, barring that, he could have marched after her and tried to defuse the potentially explosive situation. Instead Garfield James Logan relied on a tactic that had served him extremely well when faced with bullies in high school. He ran.

Which would explain why Sol Corp's second most recognizable face and Kory's trusted right hand man was currently sitting on the cool marble floor of one of the many third floor bathrooms. Legs tucked up to his chest with his arms wrapped around his knees, he looked more like a child hiding from his parents than a renowned personal assistant. And, for once in his life, he just didn't care.

Kory was right, Terra was nothing but trouble.

---

Rachel Roth hated social events. She hated starring at all the trophy wives, stick thin with too big breasts, squeezed into the latest fashions. She hated making small talk with their equally inept husbands, men who were only breathing the same air as she was because writing out big checks to charity guaranteed big fat tax deductions. She especially hated the dress she was wearing, a deep purple number. It was low cut with an empire waist and long skirt that skimmed her hips before falling away from her body. Dick said she looked fantastic, she felt ridiculous. Especially since she'd dyed her hair back to its natural black and pinned it up into an intricate twist that looked better suited on Selina Kyle than her.

And really, getting rid of the purple dye had been a waste. Logan, Anders' PA hadn't bothered to wash out the green in his hair. Then again, he never did.

Selina Kyle, however, was probably the biggest point of contention. A wealthy heiress, former model, and animal rights activist, Selina's relationship with Bruce was tumultuous at best. They had been dating on and off for the past five years, only stopping completely during his year and a half relationship with Diana Prince. She was a constant figure on his arm at all the important Gotham functions, mostly because he was handsome and she was beautiful and people noticed when they were together. But ever since Bruce ended his relationship was Diana Prince last June, Selina had popped back into his life and latched on tight. Not that the billionaire seemed to mind. Actually the only people who seemed to mind were Rachel and, surprisingly enough, Barbara Gordon.

Quite frankly, there was nothing really wrong with Selina. It was just that she fit the bill as the perfect wife for someone like Bruce. She was beautiful, blonde and blue eyed, rich, educated, and not too occupied with her pet projects to stop by for lunch unexpectedly. The crux of the matter, ultimately, was that she was exactly the type of woman that Dick would probably end up marrying. Only his choice would probably have fewer redeeming qualities, Selina had a sharp mind and was extremely dedicated to her cause, and be more of a society-perfect bimbo. It was enough to turn her blood to ice. Although Rachel had no romantic inclinations towards Dick, there were worse ways to lose someone.

"She's just so…" Rachel made a gagging sound, causing Dick to chuckle. While he didn't share her dislike for Selina, he was still wary about the woman. After all, if his father and Selina kept at their current rate, he could be getting a new mother. His adopted stepmother, a term that was quaint, really.

"Blonde? 50s Pin Up-esque? Environmentally friendly? Come on, Roth, it's not like you have a thing for Bruce or anything. I don't know why you let Selina get to you like that." His words were teasing and warm but it was obvious that Dick was a thousand miles away. Probably thinking about that Ann girl he'd slept with so many months before. Really, Rachel thought, who had one night stands with strangers? Still, she appreciated his disconnect. At least, this way, he wasn't hounding her on what was bothering her.

She made a face and brushed a stray tendril of hair out of her eyes. "God, I'd probably silt my wrists if I had a thing for Bruce. Seriously, Dick, that's…" She trailed off for a moment, her line of vision partially blocked by a willowy blonde in a ridiculously dark green dress walking by at an alarming speed. Rachel hoped that the Anders had really good onsite security. But when the blonde cleared out of the way, her father was still standing about ten feet away from her, a too pleasant smile plastered over his too handsome face. When he made no move to approach, she took it as a sign, grabbed Dick's arm and steered him towards a less crowded part of the hall.

When Dick quirked an eyebrow, Rachel opened her mouth to speak and found she suddenly had no words. "I…I just…my father…"

"Throws his money around like it's going out of style. Of course he'd be invited, actually, I'm surprised he didn't tell you when you went out for lunch." She didn't say anything as his tone grew cold, almost accusing. Feeling her face becoming hot, the raven haired woman tried to turn away but was stopped by the CEO's hand on her upper arm. "When were you going to tell me?"

"I wasn't, not for a while anyway. What was the point anyway? It's not _good money_; if it wasn't going through the Anders Foundation, I'd be afraid it was all just a tactic to wash the money and funnel it…"

"Enough." He didn't raise his voice, his tone stayed level and his expression calm. "How many times do I have to tell you, _Rachel_, that I don't need you to protect me? I live in Gotham for christsake, I think I can handle myself…"

"But…" Her hands felt limply at her side, raised for a moment as if there was some physical movement she could use to fully explain herself, and then fell again. She made to open her mouth, but Dick didn't seem to notice, either that or he didn't care.

"But what? This is exactly what you always do. I'm sure you suspected something about Barbara for months, but you didn't tell me. Just like when Roy and Donna had started that thing right after we broke up…I had to find out in the tabloids even though you'd known since almost the beginning. I'm not a child, Rachel, I can take care of myself." He took a deep breath and raked his fingers through his hair. "I don't need you hiding things from me. If you keep it up, I won't need you at all."

Although it was obvious he regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, she didn't seem to notice. Instead, Rachel turned, face more pale than normal, and fled upstairs.

It wasn't until she heard a voice from somewhere overhead that she realized she was lying on the floor of a dark bathroom, nose nearly touching the Italian marble, with her purple-clad ass in the air. With as much dignity as she could muster in the situation, she cleared her throat and began the painstaking process of righting herself.

"No, don't worry, I'm all right."

"Well then, I guess I should be mad you invaded my hidey hole, but…under these circumstances…"

"I'm Rachel."

"Gar."

Sitting side by side, backs propped up against the overly large porcelain tub, the two fell into an easy silence.

---

"Diana!" Kory squealed, although it was the most reserved, well bred squeal she could muster, before launching herself at the older woman. Nearly ten years her senior, Diana Prince hardly looked like she was five years older than her red haired friend. The woman was tall, only a couple inches shorter than Kory, with an athletic build that was balanced out by soft, generous curves. Her blue eyes were sharp and focused, brimming with knowledge usually only associated with people three times her age. For the occasion, her black hair was set in soft curls and allowed to fall gracefully around her face and down her back. She was clad in a brilliant scarlet red dress, strapless and body hugging, with a simple skirt that trumpeted out at the knees. Diana Prince, Governor of California, looked as lovely and put together as usual.

The two women had been friends for most of their lives. Their parents had some wide flung Mediterranean connection, Diana's being Greek and Kory's Tamaranean, and they'd rationalized when they were younger that they were probably distantly related. Extremely distantly related. When Diana had gotten a job at the museum downtown at sixteen, a six year old Kory had visited her daily; worshipping the ground she walked on. When Diana had flown across the country to finish up her degree at Harvard, Kory had taken on babysitting Cassie Sandmark, the daughter of the museum curator. Kory had supported Diana's campaign for Lieutenant Governor nearly eight years ago and her campaign for Governor after that. And, when Myr had fallen ill, Diana had been with her every step of the way.

Which was why Kory was extremely surprised to see a lanky red head, fidgeting uncomfortably in a neat black tux, standing next to Diana.

"Wally? Wally West? Oh, oh my, you and Diana?" She'd done her undergraduate work at the same university he had, they'd even taken some early pre-law classes together until he decided he wanted to go into law _enforcement_. Last thing she'd heard, he was some big shot working with the LAPD.

Wally grinned sheepishly and looked down at the floor, completely out of character for the young man, who if Kory remembered correctly, could talk almost as fast as he could run.

"It's actually my fault, Kor." Diana laid a hand on her arm and smiled brightly, "After the whole fiasco with Bruce, I wasn't for another press feeding frenzy. You know how that goes." And she did. After all, she'd barely gotten any time with Xane that wasn't filled with ducking the press…not that he'd minded too much. It had, after all, done wonders for his career. "This is our first big public thing, I thought the press outside was going to wet themselves. Disgusting, really. But Wally has been so great." Diana was beaming by the time she finished and Kory couldn't help but return the smile.

"That is wonderful, I am so happy for both of you."

"Oh, oh thank God." The words whooshed out of Wally, taking both women by surprise. "You're like _the _Kory Anders. The third, no offense, most important person to know about this. Of course, Hippolyta found out first and then Helena…but, really, Hip's retired and the U.N.'s supposed to be about peace anyway and Helena…well, let's just say I'm much, much more scared of you…"

"Wally…"

"…and Cassie doesn't hate anyone, except for maybe the people that run her school, so, I know she'll be cool. Donna…yeah, I'm scared of her too but, after you took this so well…"

"Wally…" This time Diana's exasperated tone cut through his quick, rambling chatter and he grinned, embarrassed. Apparently the Wally that Kory had known and loved hadn't disappeared after all. "You would think," although even and measured, a certain amount of loving softness still managed to shine through, "that for one of the best Homicide detectives in California, he'd be a lot more difficult to shake up."

"Just part of my charm, Wondy."

Rolling her eyes, the dark haired woman wrapped Kory up into a tight hug before straightening up to link hands with her boyfriend. "Anyway, we've got to make some more rounds before dinner is served. Take care, Kor, and tell Roy I said hello."

And, like clockwork, Roy showed back up at Kory's elbow as soon as Diana and Wally had disappeared into the crowd of people. She reached up and absentmindedly brushed the remnants of salmon mousse out of the corner of his mouth.

"I did not know you had a problem with Diana Prince. Some unpaid parking ticket to the state of California?" Although she was teasing, Roy still managed to blanch and look at the floor as if the pattern in the tile had become extremely interesting.

"Not with Governor Prince, but with her escort. A couple of years ago, West was seeing this reporter…Linda something. I _didn't_ know that she was taken and sort of…well…let's just say that West found out and things went badly." Roy Harper was a playboy and a womanizer, but, Kory knew that he would never, ever sleep with a woman he knew was seeing someone else.

"Afraid that Wally still had not forgiven you? Well, you are going to have to get over it. If Gar keeps seeing that idiot blonde, you will have to be my escort to the Governor's Ball. Besides, if Wally is with Diana then I am sure…"

His face lit up and he gave her a one armed hug, careful to not muss her hair. "You're right, Starbaby, besides, Di is way hotter than that Linda chick. And, anyway this is your party, I'm not going to rain on your parade."

Things were, indeed, going swimmingly. Dinner would be served in about an hour, full of traditional Tamaranean dishes that had been given a contemporary twist. The one year Kory's mom had switched up the menu there had been such a complaint that she'd promised to never do it again. That had been nearly fifteen years ago. Before dinner, Kory would get up, give a speech, and then there would be food, music and dancing until people were too tired to do anything but go home or to their hotel rooms.

So far, everything was going according to plan. She would really wish, moments later, that she had knocked on wood instead of taking a hearty sip of champagne.

"You!"

Kory had been half expecting some member of the Wayne contingency to come barreling after her, bitching at her for winning S.T.A.R. labs in the takeover bid. But, instead, she was greeted with the sight of a rather enraged Terra racing towards her.

Gar was nowhere in sight.

"What in X'Hal's name?"

"This is all your fault, you stupid whore!" Kory just stood frozen as Terra reached her, chest heaving from the effort, and then straightened to take a swing at her. Thankfully Roy, and some unnamed member of the wait staff, managed to steer them into a quiet alcove before any further outbursts could be made within the hearing range of the general public.

"What are you talking about? I have not done anything. Had it been up to me, your stupid, skinny ass would have been shipped to the other side of the world and Garfield would have never seen you again." She took a deep breath then slowly blew the hair out of her eyes. Kory knew she had to regain her composure. There was a speech to get through, gracefully, and then a dinner she had to attend. Now was not the time to give into her inner warrior and deck Terra.

Stamping her foot and wriggling out of Roy's grasp, Terra huffed impatiently. "That is exactly what I'm talking about! You have never liked me, ever. I've been nothing but nice to you, but, you…_you _have _always_ treated me like I was nothing better than some gunk on your overpriced designer shoes. And now BB is completely miserable because you've been giving him the cold treatment since he told you…"

"Enough." And she had had enough. She was Koriand'r Berge, better known as Kory Anders. She was head of one of the most powerful, fastest growing corporations in the world. She would not engage in petty drama better suited for a high school prom.

"No, I have never liked you. From day one, you made Gar miserable. You complained about his job, saying that he was much more qualified to simply be _my _PA at Sol Technologies. You consistently made him choose between you and his friends, purposefully making plans when you knew he'd already made arrangements with us. Last, but not least, your irrational jealousy has gotten you thrown out of Sol Corp so many times that you have your own security file." Taking a deep breath, ignoring the gaping mouths of the two men and Terra's increasingly enraged expression, Kory continued on. "You were _never_ nice to me. You were polite, yes, but you have always treated me like I was a rival. Like I was going to snatch Gar…"

"Because that's what you want! One day you are going to wake up and realize how much you want him and…"

"He is my best friend. All I want for him is his happiness. Being with him would be like being with my brother, Ryan. You…"

"Ann?"

She would have been fine, really. After all, she had taken nearly four years of Tae Kwan Do and two of kickboxing. She attended the gym weekly and by all means could defend herself against a scrawny geologist who spent all her time in the lab. But, then an all too familiar voice distracted her. And, when her head jerked around to follow the sound, said scrawny geologist took the opportunity.

The sound of Terra's fist hitting Kory straight on in the chest would be one the Tamaranean American would never forget. With the frazzled waiter, his name was Peter, hauling Terra up by her skinny waist and dragging her out towards the back entrance and with Roy frantically running off in search of ice, pretty soon Kory was left standing in the middle of the alcove. Clutching at the spot where Terra had hit her, praying that there wouldn't be a bruise, she managed a smile and turned around full to greet him.

"Ann?"

"Gray?"

"Kory, I brought some ice. Dick?"

"Roy, what the hell are you doing here? Kory?"

"Wait…wait…Dick?!"

No, it wasn't awkward at all.


	6. Overly Delayed Reaction Pt 2

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 5: Overly Delayed Reaction (Part 2)**_

---

_It is easy to be brave from a safe distance._

_Aesop_

---

"…and then he told me that he wouldn't need me at all." Rachel sniffled into a piece of toilet tissue and tried to regain some amount of composure. For the last thirty minutes she'd been sitting side by side Garfield Logan figuratively spilling her guts in a dimly lit bathroom. It hadn't been until he'd reached over and handed her a piece of tissue from off the toilet roll that she realized just how upset she was.

Running his fingers through choppy green hair, Gar loosened his tie and snorted. "That sounds pretty harsh, even for dick brain." Rachel swatted at him with her free hand and had to roll her eyes when he yelped and ducked for cover. "Fine…bird brain, then."

"Is that how your illustrious boss talks about him when he's not around?"

"Riiiight. My girl cringes when she drops a contraction. It would probably kill her to bad mouth someone." Watching him with careful purple eyes, she couldn't help but nodding in agreement. Even during the mess that was the S.T.A.R. labs bid, Kory Anders had been nothing but a lady about the whole thing. "Kor won't even say anything about Terra to me, just because she thinks she makes me happy."

It was only fair that it was his turn to share. "Does she?" Rachel knew what it was like to stay in a relationship out of habit. She'd dated Joe on and off starting in high school, when they'd been known around Gotham as Raven and Jericho. And while she'd gotten used to his artistic bouts of moodiness and his reluctance to verbalize anything, _contentment _was a completely different feeling from _happiness_.

Not to mention that Joe's father, Slade Wilson, was completely and totally completely out of his fucking mind. But that was to be expected from a drug pusher and arms dealer with connections to her father and the mob.

But even with those heavy thoughts on her mind, she laid her cheek on her knees and turned her full attention to Gar.

"I love Terra. I've loved her for three years, seven months, and twelve days…give or take. She's the kind of girl that would have never given me a second glance in high school. Gorgeous, smart, has a sense of humor, puts up with my eccentric habits…but, it's not enough anymore. We haven't been in a steady relationship in almost two years and whenever we're together we fight."

He sighed, loudly, and put his head between his legs. Without much thought to what she was doing, Rachel reached over and began running her hand up and down his hunched back. Had he not leaned into the movement, she would have thought he hadn't noticed. "I've known Kory for so much longer, God, since our freshman year in college. And at first I thought she was just jealous of Terra, we were always this _single and fabulous_ duo, but, it's not that. She's the sister I never had, you know? We've never, ever been like that." He frowned and looked up at Rachel with dark eyes, as if challenging her to question him. When she didn't, because she knew exactly what he meant, Gar took it as a sign to plunge on.

"I had this epiphany on the way over that it was never going to work. It's just this endless cycle...and I'm too much of a wimp to say anything. I mean, I saw Terra hurdling towards Kory…"

"You mean that angry looking blonde in the green dress?"

"…and I didn't do anything to stop it. I ran up here and hid. If I could turn into a chicken, I would. A big, green chicken…"

A chuckle escaped her lips before she could help herself and it was even more of a surprise when her fingers tightened around the back of Gar's tux coat in a bid to keep him from pulling away. "What could you have done, anyway? Ran after her, flapping your arms, causing more of a scene? The Anders family has an amazing security team, I'm sure they'd take her down if they thought she was too much of a threat."

He nodded, blank eyes lighting up with a smile which eventually settled on his lips. HR was right, it really was the most irresistible smile of the year, two years running.

"So, you don't think I'm too terrible, even after I insulted your boss?"

"I think even green haired PAs could use a break sometimes." Rachel didn't mind when he shifted suddenly, one bent knee coming to rest between the folds of her skirt. She didn't protest when his hands framed her face and his were settled less than an inch from her own. And she certainly didn't say a thing when his lips crashed into hers hard enough to press her body up against the cool porcelain of the tub. The heat they created between their bodies was more than enough to cancel out any chill.

Being brave could wait.

---

"Wait…wait just one minute, you know Roy Harper?" Dick was dumbfounded, all but certain his jaw was hanging somewhere in the vicinity of the floor. He had been thinking of this woman for months, had trouble fixating on little else. And when he finds her, she not leggy, drunken Ann wrapped up in a fitted trench coat but Kory Anders, frantic host trying to keep a bruise from forming right above her modestly displayed cleavage.

"Of course I know Roy Harper," she snapped out the words behind clenched teeth and lifted up the cold compress to check for damage. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! I cannot go out there looking like a splotchy…splotchy…"

"Vagabond?"

"Hussy?"

"…you are so not helping, neither one of you!" She was panting, and her face was turning red and her chest was heaving. Dick supposed it couldn't be held against him that his attention was straying from the task at hand. He truly couldn't remember what that task really was.

"Anyway!" She stomped her foot and it was enough to bring him back to full attention. "I have known Roy since we were babies. There was a slight disconnect during grade school, but then we reconnected in college and we've been friends ever since…"

"Friends?" He cocked an eyebrow and tossed a knowing look in Roy's direction. Roy wasn't one to kiss and tell, but, Dick thumbed through the tabloids enough to know that Kory Anders and Roy Harper had been caught coming out of a limo looking rather disheveled. "God…I can't believe you slept with her." He took a deep breath, trying not to let all of his blessed composure shatter. He was trying to ignore all the implications of what it meant to sleep with someone Roy slept with. Like how, even with half a dozen condoms, it was still almost like sleeping with one of his best friends.

"…known each other since childhood. Same stuffy prep schools, that sort of thing…"

He had to grit his teeth to keep from screaming, apparently they'd taken up a conversation and were completely ignoring his outburst. Running his fingers through his hair until it stood on end, Dick frowned and waited until they'd stopped chattering between themselves.

"Are you done throwing a fit?" Kory threw him a dazzling sweet smile that almost made him melt into a black puddle. Almost. "Roy, could you find Gar for me? And my wrap, that should hide this blooming bruise from all of my wonderful guests." She used that same beautiful smile on Roy, making Dick wish for a moment that he wasn't best friends with the red head so that he could smash him into the ground. When Roy turned on a heel and marched out of the hallway, Dick advanced on Kory until he was having to strain his neck to look up into her impossibly green eyes.

"I wasn't throwing a fit."

"Oh no, of course not, you were just acting like a petulant child."

She smiled, he frowned, and began wondering why he'd spent all those wasted months fantasizing about her. This was not the sweet, seemingly innocent woman who had whispered hot and heavy into his ear and set his blood boiling. Ann was charming where Kory was manipulative. Hell, she even had Roy wrapped around her little finger.

"I am sorry, but you understand why I did not feel comfortable using my real name." She waited until he nodded, dumbfounded by her sudden admission, and when he didn't say anything, she took it as a sign to continue. "Ever since I broke up with Xane, the paparazzi have been hounding me. It is more than a little embarrassing. With everything going on with my sister…"

Suddenly he felt lower than dirt. She was apologizing to him when he'd done exactly the same thing. Averting his eyes to the floor, he felt his jaw hit the floor for the second time that night when she placed her arms loosely around his neck and pressed herself up against the long line of his body.

"I have not been able to stop…"

"…thinking about you…" His hands reached up, fingers entwining into her brilliant red curls as he pulled her down so that he could kiss her thoroughly. Before it had been all heat and sloppy drunken kisses, now there was something else. Something like sweetness and desperation. She moaned into his mouth and he took the opportunity to nip at her bottom lip, smiling into her mouth at her response.

"Kory Berge Anders, you have a pre-dinner speech to give in less than fifteen minutes…"

"Berge?" Dick cocked an eyebrow, even as he disengaged from their entangled embrace.

"My grandfather's name…it's a Tamaranean thing…"

"…and you're going at it like a Catholic schoolgirl on a holiday." It was Garfield Logan, not surprisingly to Dick, who lead the charge, a satin wrap in his hands like a banner. However, it took a minute to realize that not only was Roy trailing behind him, looking just a little embarrassed to have burst in on their quiet moment, but that Rachel was bringing up the rear, looking disheveled.

"Um, before you say anything, Terra hit me."

"I know."

"And this is Dick Grayson, formerly _Gray from Metropolis_."

"I know."

"And you ran off and Terra hit me."

She looked like a Catholic schoolgirl getting scolded by her mother superior, face flushed and eyes fixed on a spot in front of her. All from her PA, one of her employees. Yes, Rachel would probably chew him out later but she'd have the decency to do it in private. As Garfield Logan launched into a long winded lecture, Dick couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at? You've been searching for this _Ann_ for months and you didn't once pass Kory's picture on the newsstand and put two and two together. Jesus, Dick, that would have solved so many of my problems. Your moping, brooding, zombie-like stomping through life has been getting on my nerves."

"But," the laughter dried up in his throat.

"Not to mention made several of your employees uncomfortable enough to complain to me…"

"But," she was so angry her skin was beginning to flush. Dick was pretty sure that if she could, Rachel would be sending the decorative sconces off the walls and flying towards his head.

"…which ended up in sweet, sweet Betty quitting and me having to hire that slut who's bordering on mental retardation…"

"And while this is all very interesting," Roy's voice rose up over Gar's and Rachel's effectively shutting both of the PAs up, if only for a minute, "I do believe Kory needs to refresh herself and get into the main dinning hall so that we can get dinner started. I'm sure there will be plenty of time to continue this later."

Roy flashed an apologetic smile in Dick's direction as Rachel clamped a hand over his upper arm and drug him in the direction of said dinning hall. He barely had time to catch Kory's worried gaze before her PA was dragging her off in the opposite direction, no doubt to fix her hair and situate the wrap over her shoulders.

There was plenty of time to continue this later and he was pretty sure he wouldn't get to pick which parts he'd get to continue. Most likely it would be Rachel yelling at him all the way back to Gotham. Even when he vaguely remembered he was supposed to be mad at her. Opening his mouth, he shut it just as quickly at her grim expression.

"Don't even start, Grayson."

---

The main dinning hall of the Anders mansion was spacious, managing to easily seat all three hundred and twenty something guests all while remaining warm and inviting. Diana was seat up towards the front, blue eyes sweeping around the room in an attempt to catch sight of Kory and keep tabs on Wally. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, nearly eight months of dating had given her a new meaning of the word trust, it was that Wally sometimes got uncomfortable in large social engagements. He was a LAPD officer, not some billionaire playboy born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Strike that, former LAPD officer. He'd moved into the private sector shortly after they'd started dating. She'd protested, not wanting him to give up a job that he loved, but he'd insisted that if they were going to make it work, they couldn't be worried that the state would work itself up into an uproar over the governor dating a homicide detective. Every time the LAPD got a new tech upgrade, some watch group would start chomping at the bit over injustice.

It was one of the reasons why she found herself falling for him.

"Looks like West is chatting up that lovely reporter, Linda Park." That velvety smooth voice could only belong to one person. Diana forced herself to keep from wrinkling her nose and settled on shrugging her shoulders good naturedly.

"Ancient history; although, Kyle doesn't seem to mind Harvey Dent's flirtations."

"She's good friends with Harvey's fiancée. Anyway, where has our lovely hostess run off to?" Always to the point without being too terribly obvious. It was something she'd always admired in Bruce. When she wasn't trying to strangle him for it.

"Probably somewhere looking after last minute details, I always look forward to this. She's done a good job putting everything together, considering Lucy has had her hands full with so much this year."

Bruce didn't say much, just nodded, and placed his hand on the back of her chair before retreating towards his table. "It was nice seeing you, Governor Prince."

"Always, Mr. Wayne." When Wally finally made it back to the table face flushed and eyes still sparkling from telling some wild story, Diana finally let out a breath and was able to relax.

"I saw Kory with Roy and Gar coming up the back way when I rushed to the boys' room. Shouldn't be too much longer, so long as no more blondes ambush her." He grinned rakishly and smoothed a black curl out of her eyes. "And I talked to Linda and she said she knew all the press allowed in tonight and no one had been snooping around."

Diana frowned at the thought, she'd never given much thought to Terra Markov nor the trouble she could cause. But, if Kory had so much disdain for her, then there was probably a reason for it. Placing a hand on Wally's thigh, she matched his grin with one of her own and leaned in until she was inches from his ear.

"Let's spend as little time dancing as is polite and then get out of here. Actually…we won't have to go too far…Kory's got a nice room picked out just for us." He gulped, almost audibly, just as Kory strode gracefully into the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me apologize quickly so we can get to what is important…dinner."

---

Dinner, while an ornate affair, was what it always was, dinner. Kory, wrapped up prettily in her satin wrap, gave a simple, rehearsed speech. Usually it was her mother's job, but because Lucy had been so busy taking care of Myr all of the work had fallen to her daughter. And while Kory had resented the extra work, it wasn't like she didn't have enough to do with running the company and taking care of the S.T.A.R. merger, she never complained. A little party planning never killed anyone.

After the guests had stuffed themselves full and been escorted into an ornate ballroom, the redhead felt like she finally had some room to breathe. But that room was quickly filled up with a dizzying amount of dancing.

Everyone from Barry Allen to Bruce Wayne had an opportunity to dance with the Sol Corp. CEO. By the end of the night, her feet her aching and her body was aching to sit down. All the years of standing by her parents' side as they hosted the event, hadn't prepared her for this. Reaching for a glass of champagne, shooting a relieved smiled in the direction of the ever suffering waiter, Peter. Before she could take a sip, however, a quick hand came up to tip the glass away from her lips.

"So, _Gray_son, huh? You got all worked up over _Gray_son?" Roy looked up at her, his expression reflecting mock-hurt. At least she hoped it was mock-hurt. They'd never worked as a couple, three months of their junior year had proved that. She just hoped he suddenly hadn't changed his mind about the whole friends-with-benefits, no-strings-attached thing that they had going on.

Wrapping one arm around his waist and using the other one to tip the champagne glass back to her lips, Kory took a nice long sip before snuggling her cheek against Roy's hair. "Yeah, it was Grayson, funny huh? If Wayne had not shown up for the final board meeting, it would have been nuclear fallout in front of the board of investors."

"Or you two would have gone at it like crazed rabbits. Speaking of rabbits, I caught Gar going at it with Rachel…"

"Roth? Grayson's PA?"

"The one and only." They had maneuvered into a section of the ballroom not filled with handfuls of nosy people. Her Gar had been making out with some woman he didn't even know just hours after proclaiming his loyalty to the crazy blonde geologist? While unfathomable, it was a cheering thought.

"Good, maybe I will not have to kill her. This is weird though…"

"Why? You're not thinking of starting anything with Dick, are you?" He stared at her, all the while whirling her in a gentle circle to give the illusion of dancing. She met his gaze, frowned, and finished off the rest of the champagne. And was immediately tempted to find another glass. "Koriand'r Berge…you can't be serious."

"I am not…I mean…I just…ever since Metropolis…"

She knew he wanted to smack her. Rail at her. Maybe shake her until her eyes rolled into the back of her head. They might occasionally sleep together, but, Roy played the big brother role more often than not.

"Kor…" Roy sighed loudly, tipped her once, and brought her back close to his body. "Dick is like a brother to me. We grew up together and kept in touch. He's never had a good track record where relationships are concerned. Donna, you know Diana's sister, she was his first girlfriend. It didn't end badly, per say, but the fact that I started dating her shortly after didn't help. Then there was Barbara Gordon. They were together a very long time, engaged and everything and she…"

"…was cheating on him…"

"…with one of the detectives on her father's squad. It was a big deal, spread all over the Gotham gossip pages. He's still healing, I don't know if he'll ever get over it and I don't…"

"…want me to get caught in the middle of the mess." Her eyes softened and once she passed off the empty glass, she took the opportunity to run her fingers through his hair. "I am not exactly undamaged, Roy. I can take care of myself. Besides…"

"Kendra Saunders has been eyeing you all evening." Gar sent a pointed look in Roy's direction before muttering under his breath that Kory was, indeed, the hottest thing on legs. The young woman in question grinned and traded partners with ease. "Party is breaking up, Starbaby."

"Yeah." She yawned and rested her chin on the top of Gar's head. Had it been any other man, he probably would have taken offense, but Kory knew that Gar had long come to terms with the fact that she was about eight inches taller than he was. "It was nice, wasn't it? Even with all the…extra stuff."

He nodded and began to maneuver her out of the ballroom without her protesting too much. Most of the guests had left, the only ones still milling around were those who had been offered a room in the Anders' mansion. There was no doubt that they could be trusted. That's why they were allowed to spend the night in the first place. This was why Gar had no trouble leading his boss and best friend into the large gardens planted behind the mansion and setting her gently down on a nearby bench.

"Why don't you sit out here and get some air? I'll take care of all the gritty details inside." She nodded, obviously fatigued, and settled her wrap more securely around her shoulders. It had been, after all, an extremely long day. There had been work, then the arguing with Gar, then Roy, then the party, then finding Gray who was actually Dick and it had left her feeling exhausted.

And it took one word to bring her out of her thoughts and bring a bright smile to her lips.

"Kory?"

"Hey."

"Can I have a seat?"

"Probably the best question I've heard all day."

He chuckled and sunk down onto the bench beside her. When he wrapped an arm around her waist, she snuggled into his chest and sighed.

"So…_Berge_?"

"I will tell you about it someday, but, right now, I just want to sit here for a little while."

It was probably the best idea either one of them had heard all day.

---

**Note: **First off, I want to thank _**everyone**_ who has taken the effort to review and subscribe to this story. The fact that you keep checking up on me has been a huge motivating factor to keep going. I know, I know, I say that all the time but I really mean it. I wouldn't have any reason to write if it weren't for you. So thank you, thank you, _**thank you!**_

I don't normally split chapters into two parts, usually I can't find a good reason for doing so. But when chapter five began to hit the seven page mark and I realized there were at least seven more pages to go, I knew it was going to have to be split. Because this was such an important point in the story (Dick and Kory reuniting and Gar and Rachel meeting for the first time), I knew I wanted it to come off just so. I hope you enjoyed the effort.

As for the whole Bruce/Selina, Diana/Wally stuff, that really isn't going to figure too heavily into the story. Originally, it was supposed to be Bruce/Diana with Diana playing a surrogate mother role to Dick and Tim (yes, Tim's going to show up eventually). But, I wanted Diana to have a connection to Kory, so the plan changed. Bruce/Selina is such a standard pairing that I couldn't help it; as far as Diana/Wally, they're one of my favorite non-canon DCU pairings. They'll be making some more appearances as needed. This is primarily a Titans story.

As far as the story goes, I've pretty much got it mapped out in my head. Barbara and Terra will both be making appearances and don't count Roy out just yet. I love that boy. And if you liked that little Gar/Rae interlude, there's more of that to come. Look forward to less business talk, more dealings with the paparazzi, Vic/Sarah, and Koko to finally get out of rehab. Keep your fingers crossed and we might get this finished before January.


	7. The Morning After

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 6: The Morning After**_

---

_We're given second chances every day of our life. We usually don't take them, but they're there for the taking._

_Andrew M. Greeley_

---

Kory groaned, bleary green eyes blinking languidly as they tried to adjust to their dim surroundings. Wiping a thin line of drool away from the corner of her mouth, she mumbled something incoherent and snuggled back into her spot beneath the covers. She never was, and never would be, a morning person. Being snuggled against an exceptionally warm, lanky body wasn't really conducive to rolling out of bed either.

At least until the stomach connected to that warm, lanky body grumbled.

Sitting up, loose curls falling into her face like a fiery red curtain, the young woman pushed the thin dove-colored coverlet away from her body and stretched her arms high over her head. Usually her mornings started early, six o'clock in the morning early, and it had been that way since Gar had become her PA nearly four years ago. He would pop up on her portable vid screen, infectious smile stretched wide, reminding her to get up for her six thirty jog. Nothing like a jog and a healthy, organic breakfast to get the day started. But, because it was the morning after the annual Sol Corp Charity Ball, there had been no early morning wake up call. She was always grateful for the little breaks in routine.

Yawning, she ran her fingers through her hair and shifted slowly, carefully making her way off the bed. Grabbing for a silk robe, dyed pale lilac, to cover up her rose pink nightgown, she frowned and tried to remember how exactly she'd ended up in her night clothes. Loosely braiding her hair, Kory was attempting to tuck a piece of her long bangs behind her ear when a voice suddenly jerked her out of her thoughts.

"You were out cold, Kor. And like a proper gentleman, Dick delivered you to Gar sometime around one o'clock this morning. He got a little sidetracked," Roy grinned wolfishly, "and I helped you out of that pretty green dress. Nice panties, by the way." Kory rolled her eyes and threw a nearby hairbrush in his direction, ignoring his yelp of protest.

"Thanks, pervert." She'd be offended, except that she knew that he was only trying to help. That and he'd seen her naked so many times that another time didn't matter too much anyway.

"Welcome, and don't worry, Dick was already passed out somewhere by the time I took you off of Gar's hands. Besides it's not like we…_Jesus, _Kory, is this drool?"

Smiling sheepishly, ignoring his look of mock indignation, she threw a thick terry cloth robe in Roy's direction before making for the door. "Well, how about breakfast?" When he nodded and made a mad dash for the door, Kory couldn't help but laugh out loud and chase down the hall after him. Life was never, ever boring with Roy Harper around.

---

It was nine o'clock on a lovely San Franciscan morning, a Saturday morning to be exact, but Dick Grayson wasn't lounging around in bed enjoying the lazy day. Up at seven thirty, he had showered and then called for his bags to be brought over from the hotel. Waiting on that, he'd called Bruce once and wasn't surprising to find his adopted father had taken a red eye flight back to Gotham City that night. After checking up on the latest news from the investors in China, he'd changed into tan slacks and light blue cotton polo. He'd checked the stock reports, called the office twice not caring that it was a _Saturday_, and tried to get a hold of Rachel. No answer, very odd. So, now, he was propped up on an extremely comfortable bed located somewhere on the fourth floor of the Anders mansion talking to Vic on his handheld link.

"…I know, it's insane. I spend all this time thinking about her and not only is she _Kory Anders_ but it turns out that Roy's known her almost as long as he's known me." That still bothered him, just a little anyway. He'd felt an irrational rush of jealousy watching the two of them the night before, completely and totally comfortable with one another.

"So," Vic's response was slow and measured, careful, "is there anything going on between the two of them?" They both knew what had been splashed across the tabloids so many months before, Vic more so because he was an avid reader of all the rag mags. And while there were no pictures, just hurried titillating paragraphs, it was still enough to raise some eyebrows. Not to mention cause problems if Roy and Kory really were an item. They'd competed for girls in the past and Dick usually came up second.

Shaking his head, the CEO grinned wryly and shrugged, "No, I don't think so. I asked him last night, when I was walking her back inside, and he'd said they were just friends. With the occasional benefits when they were both single." Granted he was a sought after bachelor, but, it amazed him how easily Roy could fall in and out of casual relationships.

"Well, that's good. I mean, it's good if you want to try and pursue something with her."

That had been the question looming over his head since they'd talked in the garden the night before. Even without the shared stress and the alcohol, they still had plenty to talk about. He had never felt so comfortable with someone, not even Barbara; it was more than a little unsettling. Not counting the sexual tension, there was something simmering below the surface. He really wasn't sure where to go from there.

"Yeah, it's good, great, wonderful, _fantastic_. I just…"

"No man, it's cool, really. After the break up with Simms, it took a long time before I was up for anything remotely serious." The face over the link was set in a strained smile and Dick knew not to push the topic of Sarah Simms. It was rare that Vic volunteered information; it certainly couldn't be dragged out of him.

Taking a breath, wishing for a cup of coffee and some breakfast, he made a bid for a change in conversation. "So, how's Sarah?"

"Still going to Cambodia. I was…I was going to propose last week but I think she sensed it. She told me that she didn't want us to rush into marriage just because she was going to be halfway across the world." Neither one said anything, Dick just watched the muscle in Vic's jaw work nervously. "I guess we're just going to take it one day at a time. See what happens, you know?"

He guessed that it was pretty much the only thing anyone could do. Just take things one day at a time. And, right then, he really wanted breakfast.

---

"There?" The question was slow and deliberate, spilling out hot on tanned skin. Fine black hair had spilled out of its intricate twist hours before and was currently falling into eyes and tickling over sensitive skin. "How about…there?" Violet eyes sparking with mischief met half lidded green ones and red stained lips curved up in a smile at the shuddering moan of a response.

Rachel Roth wasn't impulsive. She didn't make rash decisions. Her life was meticulously planned, scheduled out to the last detail. Veering off the trodden path usually sent her into a mild panic attack. The exception had been when Dick Grayson had offered her a steady job with Wayne Enterprise.

Circling her tongue, which looked pink, pink, _pink_ against Garfield Logan's dark skin, along sensitive spots had not been a part of the schedule. However, she wasn't about to start complaining.

He gripped her face gently in his hands, pulling her up until her breasts were barely brushing his chest and her lips hovered above his own. Reaching up to cover the small space between them, Gar made a throaty moan of appreciation before capturing her lips in a crushing kiss. Nipping at her bottom lip, his fingers reached up to tangle in her hair until she gave a sharp gasp that allowed his tongue to enter her mouth. She fought for control for just a moment, her tongue dueling with his own, until his fingers tightened their hold causing a sharp ripple of pleasure to course through her body.

"Jesus, Gar…"

He chuckled, his hot breath rushing past her ear, and her pale skin flushed a deep pink. When he shifted his hips, it caught her off balance and Gar managed to maneuver Rachel on her back, her legs wrapped deftly around his waist.

"I told you to be careful about being such a tease." He thrust into her, hard and ready, and her head spun. With one hand reaching out wildly to grab for the bed sheets and the other reaching out to grab hold of his short, green hair, Rachel attempted to ease herself into a rhythm but found her control shattering. Hips rising and falling in time, she made a small keening sound in the back of her throat and tugged hard at his spiky locks. When he groaned appreciatively, she couldn't help but let a breathy giggle escape her lips.

"Turn about is fair play…"

"…yeah…God, turn about as much as you want."

He punctuated each word with a deep thrust and it wasn't too long before all Rachel could focus on were the waves of pleasure rolling through her body. Before too long, Gar was collapsed on top of her, his fingers tracing gently over the soft lines of her body. With Joe, everything had been measured and deliberate, always good but the same every single time. With Gar, there had been no script; everything was completely new and unguarded. Brushing the thin film of perspiration off of his forehead, she searched herself for even the faintest hint of guilt and couldn't find any.

Perhaps what had happened in the bathroom hadn't just been a pity kiss. Perhaps it hadn't just been pity fucking.

She wasn't about to dwell on it so early in the morning.

"So, _Rachel_, how about a shower and we head downstairs for breakfast?"

"Sounds lovely, absolutely lovely."

---

For the first time in nearly eleven years, Garfield James Logan was still yawning at ten o'clock in the morning. Since he was sixteen years old he was up early, working up to the point where he was jogging five miles every day. No matter where his parents' research took them, he stayed with his routine. It was one of the few things that had kept him grounded. So, it felt odd to have swayed from routine, even if it had been an enjoyable change. _Extremely _enjoyable.

He was dressed casually, loose fitting jeans and a plain white t-shirt, and focused intently on a bran muffin smothered in grape jelly. He didn't know anything about Rachel, save from what he'd heard in their respective circles and in the tabloids. And yet, he'd had no trouble falling into bed with her after Roy had taken Kory out of his arms and sent him off on some wild errand. They hadn't gotten much sleep, reaching for each other throughout the night like two starved souls.

And, in a way, maybe they were.

Terra had messaged him at least twenty times during the night; he'd briefly checked his link before heading down for breakfast. Playful pleading had turned to teary desperation which evolved into angry threats and finally a cold write off. She would be going to Malaysia soon to study land sustainability and how to prevent mudslides. He knew he was going to have to talk to her sometime, he just didn't know what to say.

Rachel felt like a second chance, but Gar wasn't sure if he deserved it. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, he reached across the table for a pitcher of orange juice and almost spilled it when a shriek pierced the air.

"Roy Harper, I swear to God, if you touch me one more time…"

Kory rushed into the room, barefoot and laughing, her face flushed from running down several flights of stairs. She skidded to a stop, wearing a nightgown that ended just a couple inches above her knees and a robe that wasn't too much longer, and shrieked again when Roy came up behind her. Batting at him playfully, she froze when she noticed Gar sitting at the table. It still didn't stop the giggles from bubbling up in her throat and spilling out from her lips.

"Oh, I…good morning, honey."

"Morning." Roy pulled up looking a little sheepish and plopped down at the table a couple seats down from Gar.

"Good morning, Starbaby, Roy, you look awake. Fuck, Kory, that bruise looks awful. I'm really, really sorry about Terra and everything." It wasn't until she wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed the top of his head that he felt better.

Reaching over him for a piece of cantaloupe, Kory wrinkled her nose and sat down beside him. "All I've got to say is that I told you so, all right? That and you owe me…big time." Her sing song voice elevated all doubt he had and Gar finally felt like he could breathe. While he might not have a clue what to do about Terra, or Rachel for that matter, at least he knew his best friend had his back regardless.

It was an extremely comforting.

---

He knew the signs and Rachel looked totally and thoroughly fucked, in a good way. She was totally and thoroughly fucked by Garfield Logan, _Kory's PA_, for that matter. _Kory's_ PA, it was enough to boggle his mind. Dick Grayson wasn't easily boggled. It was no wonder she wasn't in any hurry to leave the Anders mansion and get back to Gotham City. She was probably scouting out locations for an afternoon quickie.

Hadn't Logan been with that skinny blonde the night before?

No, Dick wasn't going to ask, Raven would probably beat him up. Or kill him. Or something. He knew well enough to keep his mouth shut in matters of her personal life. Boyfriends were only safe to talk about after they'd become _ex_-boyfriends.

So he'd tucked himself away in a second floor sitting room and tried to collect his thoughts. It was outfitted with plush leather furniture and rich mahogany furniture; clean lines and muted colors. He was in the process of standing up and grabbing a well worn book from off one of the room's many bookshelves when he heard a small noise that caused him to jerk around. Used to living in a manor where creaking noises meant a butler more times than not, the sight he was greeted with was more than enough to throw him off.

The woman before him was all long legs and soft curves wrapped up in silk. Somehow that affected him more than the sight of her spread across the bed completely naked and flushed. A little voice in his head whispered that she was going to be the death of him.

"Hey," Kory popped out from behind the doorway, clutching a cup of coffee between her hands, "it took a little while to find you. Do you like the sitting room?" She looked nervous, long hair slipping out of its braid, and he wondered if her heart was racing as quickly as his was.

It wasn't until she cocked her head to the side, green eyes full of questions, that he realized he'd drifted off. Jerking up, he nodded, "Yeah, it's nice. Quiet. I guess I just wanted to get away for a moment." She took a sip of coffee and he noticed that her hands were shaking slightly.

"I…Roy and I…"

"I know there isn't anything going on. It's a little, I dunno…it's odd." He scooted closer to her, hand resting briefly on her knee before he began running it slowly up and down her thigh. "It hasn't been very long since I ended things with Barbara and I'm not sure if I'm ready for something serious." It was a lie. He'd spent months thinking about what kind of person _Ann_ would be, what kind of life they might have together.

Just the little time he'd spent with Kory, getting to know what kind of person _she _was far exceeded any expectations he had had before.

When she cupped her face with her free hand, even though he was half prepared for the action, it still took all his self control not to jump. "I don't have a very good track record. I guess I tend to date boys that are guaranteed to piss my parents off. Xane put me through the wringer." She was studying his face, her eyes flicking over his forehead, chin, cheeks, the bridge of his nose and Dick was fairly certain no one had ever looked at him like that before. "But, I feel something different when I'm around you. And when we talked last night it was different from anything…I just don't want you to think badly of me. You've got to think I'm…"

"I don't think anything, Kory. Not anything like that, anyway." He leaned forward and kissed her, soft and easy. When he pulled back, her green eyes wide with surprise and her pink lips slightly parted, he knew exactly what to say. "It's not going to be easy; we live on opposite sides of the country first off. But, _baby_, if you're willing to give it a try…"

The smile that lit up her face was answer enough.

---

**Note: **It's funny how this _felt_ like the longest chapter I've written for CR, but, it was one of the shortest. But I knew that if I didn't end it soon, it was going to get up dragging out of control.

Now, like I promised, Vic's going to be coming more into the forefront especially as Kory starts working more with S.T.A.R. labs. As Vic has more screen time, Roy's probably going to fade into the background for a while, but, he'll still be around. Hope you liked the Gar/Rae scene, I know I did. Terra's no where near done and Babs is going to show up soon enough, I know you can't wait for that. Hope you're all enjoying the updates -- reviews are always welcome, they help me know what I'm getting right and what I need to fix. More updates to come, I'm back in a writing mood kiddos.


	8. Back to Business

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 7: Back to Business**_

---

_The key is to not prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities._

_Stephen R. Covey_

---

"I think you should get a dog." Gar's words came out in a rush and he grinned, ignoring Kory's puffed out cheeks and exasperated eye roll. "Oh come on, Starbaby, it would be so much fun! Something yellow and bouncing and…"

"There is no way I can handle a dog right now!" Kory's words were punctuated by deep, measured breaths. They'd started their morning run at Pell St., taking the lopping trails that ran along Fulton and passed by Stow Lake. Somewhere between the Equestrian Stadium and Mun Golf Course, Gar had estimated they'd hit two and a half miles and they'd started back the way they came. She'd wanted to follow the trail around, where it followed back along Lincoln Way and down the other side of Stow, but, she hadn't argued. There were way too many things on her plate to contemplate an extra two miles. This was one of the reasons why she couldn't even begin to wrap her mind around a dog.

"I do not have the time for a dog, Gar_field_. I am in the office by eight, _at the latest_, every morning and I usually do not get home until seven or eight at night. That poor dog would be shut up all day…"

"…and I told you we could get a dogsitter for it…"

"…and I told _you _I am not going to get a _sitter _for a _dog_. If you want a pet, Gar, then get a hamster or something that does not need loads of attention." She eased to a stop, face red from running a little under three miles, and rested her hands on her knees for a moment before taking a swig of water from the plastic bottle clipped to the belt around her waist. "What is with this whole dog kick anyway? Feeling lonely?"

She flashed an easy smile and worked her hair back up into a high ponytail from where the shorter layers had fallen out and plastered themselves against her sweaty face. It had been three weeks since the charity ball and she could easily empathize with Gar. Her interactions with Dick had been limited to short holo-lunch dates and a lot of link tag. She doubted her best friend was faring much better.

"We're _not _dating, Kory. I thought we talked about this. Unlike _some people_, we decided to take things slowly…"

"…yes, screwing six ways to Sunday in the guest bedroom is really taking things slow…"

"…oh, like you have any room to talk." He sighed, wiping his forehead off with the back of his hand, and Kory tossed the water bottle into his waiting hands. "It's just this long distance thing is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. We can barely get a hold of each other and when we do, we're usually too busy to talk. Not to mention the whole secrecy thing…"

"I thought there was nothing to keep secret?" She quirked an eyebrow and stretched her arms over her head and then reached down until her fingers were wrapped around the toes of her sneakers.

"No, no, I guess you're right." He gulped the water like a fish and after throwing the bottle back, swung his arms back and forth uncomfortably. "It's just…I want there to be something to keep under wraps. She's great and we get along so well…"

"…you would like to have a warm body around. Look, I feel your pain, Gar, but getting a dog is not going to fix anything. Stick to your game plan and see things out. We are going to be in Metropolis soon to work out some kinks with S.T.A.R., you will get to see her then."

He ran his fingers through his hair; the green was slowly fading back to blonde, and then nodded, "Yeah, you're right, thanks babe. I guess I just needed to talk about it."

"No problem…"

"Race you back to Stow Lake. Winner gets to pick breakfast."

Kory frowned, picking up her pace as Gar took off down the path. He was right. It had been difficult not being able to see Dick every day…or even every other day. Xane had been her puppy dog the entire time they'd dated. And, even if it had just been mostly so that he could get his face on the magazine stands, it had still been nice to have someone around. She was lonely and she missed Dick. There were worse things, though, than being separated from your boyfriend by a continent.

Like chowing down on banana bran muffins and vegan smoothies.

---

Barbara Gordon was gorgeous; there was no arguing around that fact. She was five feet and eleven inches of red hair, blue eyes, and a creamy pale complexion that was always flawless no matter how bad Gotham City's weather was. Wearing a knee-length shirt dress with a low v-neck and a long ribbon tie done up into a fluffy bow in the back, she was dressed to kill. Black heels, made less sensible because they were patent leather, and double belted beige trench coat draped over her arm completed the picture perfect look. She glided into Wayne Tower's spacious lobby and looked down her nose at the blonde behind the reception desk.

"Hello, I've got a ten o'clock with Mr. Grayson. It's…"

"Gordon! Barbara Gordon, I _know_ you. Dating Jason Bard now, aren't you?" She popped her gum in time with her rapid words, smiling brightly. "It was all over the Gotham Society Spread last week. You two debuted at the Police Ball and you were wearing this gorgeous Vera Wang. _Gawd_, I would kill for a dress like that. Too bad my boyfriend is just a…"

"Miss,"

"…oh, oh right, you've got a meeting with Mr. Grayson. I'll buzz you right up. He's office is frosty; it's too bad I got sent down to man the main reception desk. His guard dog _hates_ me. She's all, 'Stop popping your gum,' and 'Please limit your personal calls,' can you believe it? It's too bad, you meet sooo many more interesting people up…"

"Miss,"

"Right, right. I'll buzz you up. Take that elevator to the…"

"I think I know my way around, Miss,"

"Oh right, oh and call me Kitten. And mag dress, by the way!"

Barbara hurried towards the elevator, trying to control the nerve that was beginning to twitch underneath her left eye. She could deal with gruff cops, stuffy lawyers, and all sorts of business types, but vacant eyed blondes got to her every time.

---

Dick Grayson had a lovely office on the sixth floor of Wayne Tower. It was large and spacious, with picturesque view of Gotham River taking up one whole wall. The office was outfitted in sleek black furniture and updated with the latest gadgets. It was clean, masculine, and uncluttered although that had more to do with the occupants attention to detail more than the janitorial staff's nightly cleaning. Really all Dick cared about was that it provided plenty of room for pacing and there was always good coffee available.

"Dick,"

He swung around from the window, straightening up his tie as he did so. Rachel was standing in the doorway, arms full of files and her black hair haphazardly falling out of its clip. Things had more or less gone back to normal for the two of them after San Francisco, with the exception of the occasional tense moment. She wouldn't say a word about Logan, except that they were just friends and not dating. She also seemed to frown on the fact he'd jumped into a relationship with Kory without really getting to know her. It was beginning to get on his nerves.

"Yeah?"

"Bar…Miss Gordon's here for her ten o'clock. Can she come in?" She closed her mouth and then opened it again, but closed it just as quickly as if she'd decided against whatever it was she'd wanted to say.

"Yeah, let her in. No time like the present, huh?" His relationship with Kory had yet to hit the press; they'd both decided it was best that they keep it under wraps for the time being. Not that it was proving to be particularly difficult; they hadn't seen each other in person for three weeks. He knew Rachel thought it was a bad idea, Sol Corp's CEO and Wayne Enterprises' CEO dating probably wouldn't be a comforting thought to the investors. The tabloids would have a field day. Sighing loudly and smoothing down his hair, Dick looked up just as Barbara came waltzing into his office.

"Your lobby receptionist, Kitten, is…"

"Yeah, I know, but she's pretty good at what she does and it's not like we've got anyone knocking down the doors for a job." With a strained chuckle, he offered her a seat before sinking behind his desk. "Rachel kicked her down to the main floor, but the girl still buzzes the office intralink every fifteen minutes to ask a new question. Complete with a mouth full of gum."

She smiled, lovely as usual, and took a seat in a high backed chair. He'd met Barbara at the same stuffy prep schools he'd attended with Roy. They'd dated on and off during high school, broke up for a while during college, and got back together right before she'd gotten her bachelor's degree. They were, according to Cat Grant, the most perfect couple in all of Gotham. Which was saying something considering she ran the Metropolis gossip circuit. But, after Dick had gotten the job with the Thomas Wayne Foundation, their relationship had become more and more strained. It was on the verge of collapse even before he was instated as CEO.

Then, he could remember it like it was yesterday, an impromptu candle lit dinner had turned into a confessional. With Barbara leaning on the kitchen counter, crying her eyes out, and Dick backing out of the living room and out the door. It'd been the last time they'd spoken.

"Dick, I…"

"It's okay, really, it's okay, Barbara." He wished he had something stronger than coffee on his desk, but settled for the lukewarm beverage anyway. "We were falling apart before that night; it was just the killing blow. I'm not going to excuse you for turning to Jason, but I know why you did." He knew what it was like to be lonely, how easily had he fallen into bed with Kory that night in Metropolis? "It gets old, waiting alone at night for someone who isn't coming home."

Barbara smiled, re-crossed her ankles, and then frowned. "So, it isn't going to do me any good to apologize? That's why I _scheduled an appointment_, to apologize." And it was so like Barbara, concise and to the point.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that it'd be a complete waste. It has been a while since I've gotten a good ego boost." He smiled, finding it easy to fall back into their old pattern. It was comfortable around Barbara. He knew how she thought, how she'd react, and it was calming. That's probably why he'd stayed with her for so long, even after things weren't good anymore, because it'd been easier than moving on.

"Ass," Her serious, stubborn demeanor was shattered by a brilliant smile, "you always did know…" The smile faltered just a bit, until just the corners of her mouth were turned upwards. "I just wish things had turned out differently," she rose, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and smiled wanly, "we've got a lot of history, after all. It seems like such a waste. You'd like Jason though…"

He moved around the desk and walked her to the doorway. God, the last thing he wanted to hear was how amazing Jason Bard, GCPD detective, was. He'd rather do a shot of mustard chased with a round of cold tofu chunks. "Yeah, I'd probably love him," _love to see him shipped off to Antarctica_, "Don't lose anymore sleep over us, Babs, it's not the end of the world or anything." He wanted to touch her cheek one last time or, barring that, smooth down the collar of her shirt dress. But she turned away, nodding, and hurried past the command center further down the hall. Neither one wanted him to see the tears welling up in her pretty blue eyes.

It might make him do something stupid.

Frowning, Dick walked back into his office and reached for his link, dialing up Kory. Even if it wasn't the end of the world, there still was a part of him that thought it should _feel_ like the end of the world. So, leaning back on his desk, he closed his eyes and tried not to think of Barbara. "Hey, baby, it's Dick…when you get a chance, call me back…"

It wasn't the first time in three weeks that he wished he were in California.

---

"Yeah, Stone here," Vic barely made it to his link. He'd had sidestep a chair, lunge across his desk, and knock over two paperweights and a clock and was still almost too late before the link switched over to voicemail. It was understandable, though, considering he'd been practically living out of his office for the past three months. The Sol Corp. take over was doing nothing for his social life.

"Victor? It is Kory," He grinned, despite himself, and pushed a change of clothes, several cartons of takeout, and a rubber band ball off of his favorite office hair so that he could sit down. He'd been sure, when he'd met her shortly after the take over that he was going to hate her. She was posed and polished; the epitome of perfection. But that was just the projected image. Beyond the measured speech and put together appearance, Kory was the type of girl that drank beer, cheered on her favorite sports team, and, above all, knew how to run a business.

If he hadn't been completely and totally in love with Sarah, he would have been tempted to fall for his new boss.

"Hey, Star, how's everything on the West Coast? Ready to head out to Metropolis for a week or two?" That was another thing he liked about the Sol Corp. CEO. Most corporate heads would have wanted to move the center of the infrastructure closer to their main headquarters, but, Kory had known better than to start moving things around. Metropolis had always been the center of S.T.A.R. labs activity and it would have wasted time, money, and energy to move people and equipment out to San Francisco. She'd been more than willing to take part in weekly holo conferences and fly out to Metropolis. While the board of investors hadn't quite understood, everyone working at S.T.A.R. Metropolis had been extremely grateful.

"Oh, I am a little worried about leaving the office so long, especially since Gar and Morgan will be coming with me. My brother Ryan, he's the head of Sol Medical, is going to be holding down the fort while I'm gone." Her worried expression broke into a contagious smile. Yeah, Vic thought, Dick was a lucky bastard.

"So, anything in particular you wanted to talk about?" He had a meeting with the board of investors in about forty five minutes, after that he had to get a progress report on several new projects, and a tour of the updated medi-tech wing. Rubbing over his bald head, Vic wondered when he was going to have time to host the Prosthetics Outreach Foundation fundraiser as well as be a guest lecturer at Metropolis University. "Not that I don't like hearing your pretty voice just for fun, but, I'm on a fairly busy schedule."

"Actually, I had my PA fax over my schedule for next week. I wanted to make sure that you had a chance to review it," Suddenly, the sweet, innocent look was replaced by one that was serious and all business, "My schedule is packed and I wanted to make sure I got the most out of my week. We had something come up in India and I won't be able to stay in Metropolis for as long as I'd like."

"Okay, yeah, I'll look over that first chance," if he could manage to find the freaking fax. But his quick compliance was enough to ease the worry lines around her eyes. "So, everything's fine?"

Kory nodded and clicked off the link, just in time for Karen Beecher to burst into his office waving a sparking piece of machinery in her gloved hand. "What the hell is this, Vic? Do you see this, this shouldn't be doing what it's doing, _Vic_." Karen had been working for S.T.A.R. for almost as long as Vic had, maybe even longer. They got along fairly well; he often went to dinner with Karen and her husband, Mal. The problem was, this made Karen feel like she had a green light to do whatever she wanted.

Like walk into his disaster of an office, his assistant wasn't even allowed in his office right now, and wave a potential fire hazard under his nose.

"I don't know, what is it, Karen?"

"It's a piece of equipment that should have been replaced months ago. In fact, I put in the order _months_ ago and yet…I still had a small explosion in the R&D wing not fifteen minutes ago."

That got him off his ass. "Explosion? Karen, what exploded?" Really, it was what million dollar piece of equipment exploded and took out millions of dollars of equipment with it. Vic was pretty sure he was going to have a brain aneurism.

"My autoclave. That's what exploded. My damn autoclave, which wouldn't have exploded if you would have approved the order like you were supposed to." He stared at her and wondered just what else could go wrong. He remembered when she'd put in the order, remembered giving her a hard time because she _only_ wanted a new autoclave. He remembered promising that she'd have the equipment replacement in a couple of weeks and then a completely new autoclave as soon as they could get it in. Unfortunately, he also remembered that the form that he was supposed to approve was buried under the mounds of paperwork that was multiplying on his desk.

"I'll take care of it right away." Vic grinned uncomfortably, hoping to get Karen out of his office so he could make it up to the third floor to meet with the board. And then she plopped down on the floor, laid the twisted metal in front of her, and smirked.

"Oh, I know you are. And I'm going to sit here until you do."

Victor Stone was sure he was being punished for some crime he couldn't remember committing. Defeated, he sighed loudly and began rifling through post its, papers, candy wrappers, and fast food bags to look for Karen's form. The board was just going to have to wait; they couldn't get anymore upset with him than they already were.

---

Dressed in a thin white tank top and ragged jeans that looked like they were about to fall off of her hips, Terra Markov looked more like freshman college student rather than a serious geologist. Gar watched her approach the small corner café with puffy blue eyes accompanied by heavy black circles and her normally sleek blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun. Quite frankly, she looked like crap.

Plopping down into the chair across from him, she immediately opened her ratty satchel up on the table between them and began rifling through its contents. "I'm sorry to have to bring my work with me, but, I'm shipping out in a week to Russia. My GEO station contracted out with the State Department and they're teaming up with Moscow to investigate some interesting stuff around that whole Russia/Alaska area. It's highly sensitive and I've been…"

"Terra, it's all right, I'm sorry that…"

"…it's taken you so long to get back to me? Nah, don't worry about it." She smiled wearily and pinched the bridge of her nose while her laptop powered up. He hadn't seen her looking so tired in a long time, it drained any animosity he had towards her. "We just weren't made to work out, were we, Gar?"

No, he supposed, they just weren't. For a long time, he viewed Terra as the "ideal." She was everything he had ever looked for in a woman and he was forever bragging to Kory about how wonderful she was. Beautiful, quirky, amazing in bed, and yet, there really wasn't much beyond that. Pretty soon, the only thing they were really doing together was fighting and making up afterwards. They'd get together and break up and get back together and somehow, Gar had convinced himself that this time would be different.

"I'm sorry, I just…"

"Sorry for what?" She laughed between keystrokes, frowning briefly at the screen. Before looking back up at Gar, Terra licked her thumb and shuffled a stack of papers. "Kory was right, you know, I've been pretty terrible. No, don't shush me; this is probably just sleep deprivation talking. I _hit_ her, Gar, during the damn charity ball that _you invited me to_. How sad is that?"

"I've got issues, BB, so many freaking issues that it isn't even funny. Yeah, that's sleep deprivation, too. I've never liked Kory and she's never liked me, either, not that I can blame her. I hated how close you were with her. Your early morning runs, the fact that you keep her on a diet, and just…everything! She's so gorgeous and successful and rich and I can't compete with that anymore."

Gar audibly gulped and the customers around them were beginning to stare. He wondered how many cameras could be hidden in the bushes behind them. On second thought, he really didn't want to know.

"Compete?"

"Not literally, you know, but just…I love you, baby. But you can do so much better; _I_ can do so much better." She giggled at his confused look, using her cup of coffee to anchor down the mess that was accumulating between them.

"So you're not mad?" He'd been expecting her to scream and throw things and start an earthquake or two with mysterious powers he never knew she had. This was a newer, albeit less scary, Terra and he really didn't know how to act. They'd never been very good about talking about their relationship like adults.

"Mad? I'm fucking pissed, Gar. You _ran away_ from an explosive situation, leaving me to get kicked out of one of the most prestigious events of the year. Then you ignored me for three weeks while I freaked out. So, yeah, I'm mad." But, she wasn't acting mad. In fact, she was acting like a college student with an eight a.m. essay deadline. "But I've had three weeks and a shit load of work to get this all into perspective. That's why I'm not lunging across the table to kill you. So, go back to work, I know you can't stand being here while there's work to be done."

The blonde leaned across the table and kissed him soundly on the lips, before leaning back and smiling shyly. Looking down at his watch, he grinned before throwing a handful of bills down onto the table. "Take care, kiddo, and stay warm."

He didn't feel sad, happy, or anything really. He didn't even look back while he was hailing a cab. There really were some things that were better left in the past and Terra was one of them.

---

Rachel tromped up the stairs to her second floor apartment, balancing two bags of groceries, a laptop bag, and an overstuffed purse. It was seven o'clock in Gotham City and she was just getting in the door. It wasn't the latest she'd ever gotten in, but, she felt exhausted none the less. Although business officially shut down at five o'clock every evening, it was rare that any member of Dick's personal staff left before six. Today, Rachel had been lucky. Dick had an early dinner with Bruce, so getting him out the door by five thirty had been the priority. And, being his PA meant that there wasn't too much for her to do once he was out the door.

In theory anyway.

Setting down the grocery bags with a heavy thud, she kicked off her black heels and shoved them under the dining room table. Throwing her purse onto the couch, she carefully set up her laptop on the coffee table and within minutes a soothing classical melody had filled her apartment. She lived simply, despite the fact that she lived in a fairly expensive apartment complex located a couple blocks from Grant Park. She'd decorated in dark purples and pale greys, the furniture was all mahogany, and there were plenty of soft pillows and throws to create a calm, cozy atmosphere. It was a nice home and it was all her own.

Putting a kettle on the stove top, Rachel quickly changed out of her skirt suit and into an oversized blue t-shirt, probably one of Dick's, and a pair of black sweatpants. Throwing her black hair up into a simple ponytail, she walked back into the kitchen to make dinner. She wasn't extremely fond of cooking and thought of it as more work to add to her already busy day. When Joe had lived with her, dinner had meant coming home, changing, and plopping onto the couch with a good book.

She was in the middle of slicing parmesan cheese when the voice feature of her home link beeped on. _Incoming call. _"Identify caller, please." _Working. Working. Caller identified as Garfield Logan._ "Activate holo screen, motion activate. Oh, hello, Gar." Rachel smiled in spite of herself and moved to grab a couple of eggs from the fridge. The screen followed her movement, making sure that she didn't lose sight of Gar. "Sorry I look so…_not California_, I wasn't expecting you to call. It's like four there, isn't it?"

He smiled sheepishly and her stomach did a little flip. "Nah, don't worry about, you look great. A little tired, but, your day was probably as hectic as mine is going. Our Japanese partners might pull out of the New Delhi deal and I'm so close to just…God, I probably shouldn't have said anything, should I?" Gar was pulling at his hair a bit and she could tell that there was a frantic edge to his expression.

It was something she'd worried about once the endorphins had worked their way out of her system. They worked as PAs to CEOs of two competing companies. Probably _everything _they said about their jobs was too much. It had to be about ten times worse with Dick and Kory, which was why she didn't want to talk about it. "No, hey, it's all right, really. I didn't hear anything." Placing the parmesan slices on a piece of bread and putting another slice on top, she placed the sandwich in a pan full of flour, first one side and then the other. "But, if you could do me a favor,"

"Yeah?" Gar was leaned back in his chair, completely ignoring the stacks of paperwork and files on the desk in front of him. She found it sweet, how he wanted to spend his break talking to her.

"There's this girl, Kitten van Cleer, and if there was any way you could get her to come work for you…" She dipped the flour sandwich into a shallow bowl full of beaten eggs and didn't even bother with puppy dog eyes. Truthfully, she wished she could kill Kitten and dump her body in the harbor.

"Kitten van Cleer? You're not serious, are you?" He sat up and almost spewed water all over the view screen. "She's dating Kory's ex, Xane, and I've never seen a more annoying…"

"van Cleer's dating the lead singer of Red X? Jesus, Gar, exactly how small is our world?" They were both laughing when she dropped her sandwich into a bubbling pot of olive oil. "Well, never mind then, I wouldn't dream of pushing her on Kory then. Dick would probably kill me anyway. The girl can actually file without singing the alphabet."

Talking with Gar was like reading a familiar, dog eared book; it was a nice way to relax after a long day. "Exactly what are you cooking? God, cheese and eggs? That is so not vegan." Pulling the fried sandwich out of the pot, she plopped it down on the plate and began rifling through the pantry for a bag of chips.

"No, it's not. We don't really do vegan on the East Coast, especially not in Gotham City, Beastie." She nearly died when she learned that his nickname in high school had been Beast Boy. "And it's grilled cheese, Italian style. I'd make some for you when you fly out from San Francisco, but, I know you wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole."

She told him point blank during their first conversation about food that she didn't care about his eating habits as long as he left her alone about hers. While he might be able to strong arm Kory into a healthy, organic, vegan diet, she was going to continue eating her favorite chicken, beef, and seafood dishes. He'd given her a strange look and mumbled his agreement. Smart boy.

"So, I can get us tickets to a show or something. I know Dick's taking Kory to a Metropolis Metros game, but, I didn't know if you wanted to do something." She didn't want to say the word _date_ considering they were still _just friends_, but the thought was swirling around in her brain. Rachel downed a glass of milk, trying not to dwell on the fact that she was blushing.

It wasn't too horrible, though, because Gar was blushing too. "How about we just walk around Metropolis? I wouldn't mind going to the Natural History Museum. It'll just be nice to talk, you know, get to see you again. Actually, I'll probably be staying in Metropolis while Kory heads off to India. She's got Ryan to keep things together back home and we've got major work to do in Metropolis. So, it's nothing we've got to rush. Might even get to show me around Gotham one night."

He was just so…everything she needed in her life at that moment. "That sounds nice, I'd like that."

"Good, because I've got to go or Morgan's going to eat my face off."

Gar blinked off and Rachel couldn't help the smile that stayed plastered on her face. Maybe they were just friends, but, the more she got to know Garfield Logan, the more she realized how much she wanted him in her life.

Maybe it hadn't been such a horrible day after all.

---

**Note: **Anyway, I want to thank **Rochelleteentitan** and **RoseXxxXThorn** especially for their continued interest in the story. You've actually kept up with the story, in spite of lack of delays and multiple updates. As for everyone else, **thank you**, **thank you**, **thank you** for reviewing and putting my story on your alert and favorites list. You keep me going, it's hard to write if you don't think anyone's reading.

Whew, I think this is my longest chapter by far, a little over five thousand words. At first, I wanted this to be a snap shot of what daily life was for our five main characters, but, I veered off course a little with the Dick and Gar scenes. Yes, Vic is back in action. I felt bad about adding Kory to the scene as a way to fully bring him back into the story, but, found it was a nice set up for her visit to Metropolis. Over all, it was a difficult chapter to write (Chapter 5, Pt 2 and Chapter 6 each took me a day to write while this took almost three), but, I like how it turned out in the end. Especially beginning with Kory and her morning routine and ending with Raven winding down for the day.

Probably the scenes that were the most uncomfortable to write were the Dick/Barbara and Gar/Terra ones, even though they were extremely overdue. These were loose ends that need to be tied up but, it wasn't exactly what I'd envisioned when I'd started writing. However, the scenes helped set the tone for the directions both couples are headed; I'd certainly say that Gar/Rae are entering in with a much more level head than Dick/Kory. But, that's okay, because things will work themselves out in the end. At least one hopes, anyway.


	9. Connect

**Corporate Raiders**

_**Chapter 8: Connect**_

---

_The best way to waste your life is by taking notes._

_Chuck Palahniuk_

---

**Gar & Terra: It's Over**

_Morgan Starr, Celeb Weekly Magazine_

_Former child star and the world's most photographed Personal Assistant, __**Garfield Logan**__, has finally called it quits in his off and on relationship with geologist __**Terra Markov.**_

_As Celeb Weekly reported last week the actor turned corporate prodigy made the decision to split from his girlfriend of three years during the 28__th__ Annual Sol Corp Charity Ball. While sources say that Terra and Garfield's boss, Sol Corp CEO __**Kory Anders**__, exchanged words, and possibly blows, during the event, it took almost four weeks before Gar, know for his green hair and vegan ways, finally sat down with Terra._

_Sources close to the couple say that Terra was tired to playing second fiddle to Kory, whose relationship with Gar has been cause for suspicion time and time again. Says one source, "Terra was tired of feeling like she was always second best. It was why they could never make it work long distance, too much of Gar's time was spent dealing with Kory and her problems. At the end of the day, there wasn't any time for Terra."_

_But playing assistant to the former model and current CEO of one of America's biggest corporations hasn't stopped Gar from getting back into the dating game. It's been reported that…_

Gar stared at the glossy magazine pages blankly, as if by staring, he could make the article go away. According to the article he was stepping out with everyone from Bette Kane to Lorena Marquez. If it wasn't so damn annoying, he'd probably consider it extremely sad. He hadn't seen Bette since college, when he was working on her student council campaign, and the last time he'd talked to Lorena was two years ago at a animal rights rally in San Diego. And yet the tabloids were still digging through his past and his personal life, like he didn't get that laid out on the table enough, and since they weren't finding anything print worthy, they were making shit up as they went along.

"I would not think that the year you spent playing an alien on Space Trek 2022 would make you a _child star_. At least I modeled for four years, but still, how many years have I worked for Sol Corp? Much, much longer, especially if you count those unofficial internships. And our relationship is _cause for suspicion_…hmmm…I always have wanted to be the other woman."

Kory plopped down in the seat beside him, a bagel loaded with peanut butter in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She'd been in a good mood all morning and it probably had something to do with the fact that they were in route to Metropolis. With all the stress brought on by S.T.A.R. labs and her flight out to India next week, he knew he should let her have her good mood. Still, there was a part of Gar that wished she'd take the press a little more seriously. Being such a public face, she was beautiful _and_ rich _and _ran one of the biggest companies in the world, meant that bad publicity was usually bad for business.

"This isn't good, Kor, OK Magazine already had it out in last weeks issue that we were going to Metropolis for a romantic getaway…"

"Which our PR people took care of. Really, Gar, I don't see why you get so worked up about these things. We're business people, not celebrities, and if we ignore them then they'll go away."

"No, Kory, they won't just go away. When your sister turned sixteen and started pulling a _Paris Hilton_ around all the California hot spots, it gave the media unlimited access into your family's life." In the four years that he'd worked for her, this was probably the hundredth time they'd had this conversation. "And then you _modeled_ and everyone was so sure that you were going to be the next big thing…and what do you do? You end up working at Sol Technologies and then almost a year and a half ago you become the CEO of Sol Corp. And you think they're just going to go away? Jesus, Kory…"

His tone surprised him, he almost never raised his voice at her, and when he looked over out of the corner of his eye, Gar was surprised at how _small_ Kory looked. "Oh, geez, Star, baby, I'm sorry, I didn't…" He had meant to shake her up, bring her around to the facts, but he hadn't meant to upset her. He hated when she looked like a dog that had been kicked; he usually only saw that part of Kory after she'd gotten through talking to her parents or Koko.

"No, no it is okay. You are right, I am not taking this seriously…"

"Kor, I'm just looking out for you, you know that, right?" He often wondered what would happen if he were to quit, to work somewhere else. Wondered what would happen to Kory if she had someone else for a PA. Those thoughts never did bode well. She was smart as a whip and business savvy, but his star carried around a certain amount of naivety that was dangerous.

She nodded and then sighed loudly, a big shuddering sigh that bordered on the edge of a sob, and shifted in her seat until she could rest her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, you are just doing your job." Sometimes he wished that his job didn't include upsetting his best friend, but, then again, in a way, it was she paid him for.

---

"Vic, Victor, hey, I _know_ you're in your office. I talked to your secretary…" Sarah was pounding on his door again and this time Vic doubted he could ignore her. He'd been avoiding her all week, with varying degrees of success, knowing that he didn't what to get into another discussion about their future with the new owner of S.T.A.R. labs about to touch down any moment. Loosening his tie, he got up from his desk, and opened the door.

Dr. Sarah Charles promptly toppled over onto him.

"What?"

"_What_? That's all I get from the guy who's been attempting a proposal every day for the last three months. Come on, Vic, I know you can do better than that." Her cheeks were flushed and she was tugging on the lanyard and security pass that was hanging around her neck.

As much as he wanted to sweep her up on his recently cleaned, _and disinfected_, desk and have his way with her…and then propose, Vic also knew that he still needed to check in with all the scientist that would be meeting with Ms. Anders later that afternoon. And double check the meeting she had with the board. And…

"Sarah, honey, I'm _busy_. If you haven't noticed, Kory Anders is going to be in Metropolis in the next couple of hours and I'm up to my neck in the last minute details…"

"Yes, please, you still need to roll out the red carpet and get the champagne and caviar ready for her. Vic, this is serious, I'm going to be on the other side of the world for five years starting in a couple of months. I need to know…" It hadn't been too long ago that Vic had realized he loved the S.T.A.R. labs doctor. Loved every bit about her from her intellect to her cute button nose to her crooked pinky toes. He loved her so much that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But he also loved his job and S.T.A.R. labs and knew that sometimes his job came before his personal life. And if Sarah could take off to Cambodia for her job, he could put _The Talk_ on hold until he got Kory settled in and everything taken care of.

Reaching for the door handle, Vic kissed Sarah roughly and at the same time backed her up until she was on the other side of the doorway. "Baby, I love you and yes, I want to marry you, but right now, I need to work. Oh, by the way, you and Johnson are the reps coming in from the R and D wing. Oh and if you see Beecher, tell her that her part came in and…"

Sarah slammed the door in his face and he grimaced. Then again, there were only so many things he could mess up before he got something right. His luck had to turn around sometime.

---

Unlike the one hundred and seven year old Berge Anders, Bruce Wayne _was not_ a ceremonial president of his company. When Lucius Fox retired from the post the year before, Bruce had taken over the position with little fanfare. Dick's unanimous vote as Wayne Enterprises CEO hadn't been too much of a surprise, either. Although Dick had resented his adopted father for most of his adolescence, during college he had realized the man only pushed him to succeed because he wanted what was best for him. While he always had the Wayne name to back him up, Dick had instead relied on the knowledge and expertise gathered from being at Bruce's side for all of those years. In the end, it had paid off immensely.

As president and CEO, respectively, the two men shared power quite easily. Bruce dictated the company's general policies while Dick often acted as a liaison to the board, often suggesting new ventures and new directions that the company could take. While they butted heads often, but that didn't diminish the fact that they still worked well together.

It was noon in Gotham City and Dick was having lunch in Wayne Manor, waiting for Bruce to make an appearance. Even though he had a nice condo outside of Gotham's business district, he still considered the manor to be his home. It helped that he and Bruce talked business over lunch every Monday and that he ate dinner at the manor, with or without Bruce, at least three times a week.

He was thinking of Kory, a common occurrence as of late, and tomorrow night's Metros game. When she'd mentioned her love of sports, he'd been more than a little shocked. After all, Kory Anders looked like the type of girl who went to Fashion Week in New York City and thought that sunbathing was a sport. Then again, this was the girl who'd gone to the Ace of Spades and proceeded to drink more liquor than he'd thought humanly possible. She was full of surprises.

"You're not seriously considering taking your _girlfriend_ to the Metros game, are you?" Bruce strode into the room, at 6'2" he easily commanded attention, and took the seat opposite Dick. "Because, I think it's a terrible idea."

"Of course you think it's a terrible idea, that's why I didn't ask you for your opinion. How did you find out, anyway?" He had to ask, even if he already had a pretty good idea.

Bruce merely rolled his eyes, a not so subtle hint he thought his adopted son was acting juvenile, and started picking through the salad Alfred had prepared. "I had two meetings that were in conflict with each other and I asked Rachel if there was anyway you could pick up one of them. She informed me you'd be leaving the office early that evening and, of course, I pressed for details."

While he doubted she'd really meant to do any harm, Dick really wished Rachel had just kept her mouth shut. She always had been too free with information when Bruce was involved. "Last time I checked, it wasn't any of your business who I date."

Oh, how many times could they bring _this_ fight up before it got entirely too old?

"Actually, it is when you're dating the CEO of a rival company. Exactly how do you think the board is going to act when they see you and Miss Anders splashed over the cover of every tabloid in the nation?" By now Dick was completely ignoring the salmon dish set in front of him and Bruce's soup was probably going cold. "We may not get a lot of press time for our personal lives, but, Miss Anders is an entirely different story. Under different circumstances…"

Apparently, Bruce and Rachel were teaming up against him. It was more than a little annoying. "Really, honestly, _Dad_, I really couldn't give a fuck about the press. They can write than I go skinny dipping in France annually if that's what gets them off…"

"Dick…"

"I _like_ Kory. I think we're good for each other and she's what I've been looking for, for a long time. We'll weather the press and eventually they'll get tired of…"

"Richard."

That was enough to effectively put a halt to the conversation.

"Are you done acting like a rebellious teenager?"

Obviously, that wasn't even worth a response.

"Good, because I've been having enough trouble with Tim lately. Now, I didn't say you shouldn't date Miss Anders. I've met her, she's a lovely person, and _I am_ happy for you. I just don't think…"

"Then don't think about it." Scooting away from the table, resisting the urge to throw his napkin down, Dick mentally counted to ten in his head before opening his mouth again. "The last time I asked you for relationship advice, I was thirteen years old and having trouble talking to girls. I'd really like to leave it that way."

Yes, it had been a very productive business lunch. So productive that he probably should e-mail Bruce's assistant, Bethany, and ask her exactly what they were _supposed_ to be talking about.

---

"You did what?" Rachel sat up from her desk, eyes going wide, as Dick recounted what had happened at lunch. "Wow, way to be mature, Grayson. Let's take seasoned, sound advice and…"

"_Sound advice_? He's telling me I shouldn't have anything to do with Kory in public. It's a fucking Metros game, for Christ sake. Maybe if it were a romantic, candlelit dinner…"

"It would be better if it were a private, romantic, candlelit dinner," in fact, she was going to call, _as soon as she got done yelling at Dick_, and see if she could get a reservation somewhere for just that. Men were so thick sometimes. "Your first date is in an extremely public venue. Everyone's going to see you together and people will start talking. Next thing you know, paparazzi will be camped outside your condo, waiting to get a shot of Kory walking out."

He blushed, but just for a second, and slumped down in the chair in front of her desk. She hated beating him down with the same rhetoric that Bruce had used, but, it didn't mean that Bruce wasn't right. "You've seen how they go after her. Hell, she's not even with Roy and last week Star Magazine did a five page spread on their _secret romance_…"

"And shouldn't have to sacrifice my personal life just because the company is worried about bad press. Look, tomorrow, when this all gets out, I'll talk to the trustees and make them realize that nothing's going on. My relationship with Kory will in no way…"

The nerve right above her left eyebrow was pulsing and Rachel was wondering if her father knew any members of the mob would be able to quietly and effectively clean up the mess that she was about to make out of her boss. "_No one_ is going to see it like that. It's going to be viewed as some backdoor merger, the stock is going to drop, we're all going to be…"

"No." He stood up, defiance written all over his handsome face. For a moment Rachel forgot how badly she wanted to strangle him. Dick Grayson relied on his charm to get him out of far dangerous situations. "I'm taking Kory to the Metros game and that's it. I'll handle the blow up, if there is one, and I'm really done talking about it. If you and Gar can run around Metropolis with no worries…"

"…that's completely different." It wasn't, really, except for the fact that it would just take the paparazzi a little more digging. Still, Rachel wasn't about to concede her point.

He flashed her his winning smile, knowing he'd won, and walked out of her office. "See you tomorrow, Rae, I've got some more work to do before I clock out for my _date_."

For a moment, Rachel Roth wondered how many members of the mob it would take to get rid of the hordes of photogs and journalists that would be in attendance at the game. Then she realized, she'd rather eat her own arm than ask her father for a favor.

There was also the fact that she carried a small, small glimmer of hope that everything would work out for Dick and Kory. Because, if it did, then that meant there was actually hope for her and Gar. And she really, desperately needed to believe she wasn't jumping into something that was destined to be broken.

---

**Note:** Done! Sorry there was no Kory this chapter, well, except for her conversation with Gar. There will be plenty of her next chapter though, I can't wait to write up her date with Dick. It will be their first official date: if you couldn't tell, the author is excited. Anyway, very heavy on Dick; Bruce even got some screen time. For Kory, the photographers and gossip have been a part of her life for a very long time, Dick's been pretty sheltered for the most part (apparently the journalists in Gotham have better things to do). This invasion of privacy is becoming an issue even before anything's been published. Well, I hope this chapter wasn't too terrible. I should have another one up before the 15th (my medical leave ends the next day) and I'm going to try to get on a once a week update schedule (key word: try). Wish me luck and as always, **thank you so much for your kind reviews**.


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